Soft Clouds, Gentle Breeze, and Swaying Leaves
by Naoko-Miharu
Summary: Ever wondered what happened to the Shinobi from Kumogakure? Well, you’re about to find out. Meet six new Genin from the Village Hidden among Clouds, as they are about to intertwine with the good, the bad, and the Chuunin exams!
1. Enter: Team 3!

**_Disclaimer: _**We don't own Naruto, highly doubt we ever will :P  
The other characters however belong to us, Naoko & Miharu.

**Summary:** Ever wondered what happened to the Shinobi from Kumogakure? Well, you're about to find out. Meet six new Genin from the Village Hidden among Clouds, as they are about to intertwine with the good, the bad, and the Chuunin exams!

* * *

_**Prologue:

* * *

**_

In the world where the Shinobi are a country's army and power, five great countries were formed:

_Tsuchi no Kuni_, the Land of Earth,

_Hi no Kuni_, the Land of Fire,

_Mizu no Kuni_, the Land of Water,

_Kaze no Kuni_, the Land of Wind,

And _Kaminari no Kuni_, the Land of Lightning.

In these five great countries, a hidden village was built for each country in order to train the shinobi to serve as the military force for their country.

In the Land of Earth, there was _Iwagakure no Sato_ or the Village Hidden Among Rocks.

In the Land of Fire, there was _Konohagakure no Sato_ or the Village Hidden Among Tree Leaves.

In the Land of Water, there was _Kirigakure no Sato_ or the Village Hidden in Mist.

In the Land of Wind, there was _Sunagakure no Sato_ or the Village Hidden Among Sand.

And last, but not least, in the Land of Lightning, there was _Kumogakure no Sato_ or the Village Hidden Among Clouds.

Kaminari no Kuni. . .

Kumogakure no Sato. . .

The Land of Lightning. . .

And the Village Hidden Among Clouds. . .

This is where our story will now begin. . .

* * *

**Chapter One: Enter Team 3!

* * *

**

'Saa. . . It's such a beautiful day today.' A young thirteen year old tomboy thought as she lay on the roof of a random building.

Sunlight was glinting off the metal plate of her hitai-ate which was worn around her forehead and bore the symbol of a lightning bolt and a small cloud to the left of it.

Her honey-brown eyes gazed longingly on the white clouds that floated gently across the blue sky.

'Too bad I can't be like them. . . just relaxing and floating around.'

The girl sighed a bit before sitting up cross-legged with her hands on her ankles and asking out loud. "Oh well, it's always better to be yourself, right?"

"Heh heh, that it is, Naoko!" A cheerful voice exclaimed behind the girl, who tensed and placed a hand on a long four feet object wrapped in a red cloth.

The girl, now known as Naoko sighed and relaxed as she glanced at the familiar yellow-green cat-like eyes and the other girl's hitai-ate worn around her forehead, which was the same as hers .

"Geez. Don't sneak up on me like that." Naoko said softly as she moved her hand away from the wrapped object. "By the way, why are you here, Midori-Chan?"

The newcomer, Midori, fiddled with one of her many wrapped green tinted black hair before grinning.

"Well. . . Since we have a day-off today, do want to go see some of the new Genin?"

Naoko sighed a bit and ran her fingers through her jet black boy-styled hair as she stood up. But before she had the chance to reply, several shurikens were thrown at her.

Thinking quickly, the honey-brown eyed girl grabbed the wrapped object and with a quick flick of her wrist, the cloth flew off as a gust of wind blew the weapons into a nearby wall.

"HEY! NO FAIR!"

Another voice exclaimed, annoyed with the fact that her surprise attack didn't work, "YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSE TO USE **_THAT_** WEAPON!"

"Well, I wouldn't have had to use it if you didn't try to _attack_ me." Naoko replied to the person as she sat on the floor, back faced to the two shinobi, and began wrapping the weapon up again.

"What'd you say?!" The attacker shouted as she began to charge at Naoko only to stop when Midori stood in between the two.

"Come on you guys. Today's our day off so let's _try_ enjoying it?" Midori said as her yellow-green cat-like eyes narrowed dangerously.

Naoko sighed a bit as her weapon was tied diagonally around her torso. "Midori's right, ya know. So no need to kill me just yet, Leiko-San."

Leiko glared at Naoko with her amethyst-violet eyes before sighing in defeat. "Fine! But only 'cause today's our day off!"

The honey-brown eyed girl merely shrugged as she glanced at the new girl's hitai-ate, which was same as hers. 'Too bad. I would've loved to fight back but we're on the same team.'

"'Ko-baka." The amethyst-violet eyed girl growled annoyed as her right eyebrow twitched and an anime vein throbbed on her head.

Midori sweatdropped as she sighed and rubbed her left temple. "Honestly, Naoko-Chan, can't you be nice for once?"

The tomboy glanced over at the pair before shrugging again, not caring about the insulting nickname that Leiko gave her.

"Meh. Could be, should be, would be."

"Why you little-!" Leiko was about to pounce on Naoko, but Midori had managed to hold her back. "I'll show you! I'm gonna wring that-!"

-BONK! BONK!-

"I-Itai. . ." Both girls were crouched down on the floor nursing their newly formed bumps.

"What the heck was that for?!" Leiko exclaimed before flinching in pain when she touched the bump.

"And why did you hit me as well?" Naoko grumbled, as she did the same.

Midori stood over the two with an annoyed expression on her face. "To answer your questions, you, Leiko, kept trying to pounce on her and you, Naoko! You keep provoking her!"

"But it's her fault!" The two said girls shouted pointing at each other.

"What?! It's not my fault!" Leiko growled annoyed while glaring at Naoko.

"What'd you mean it's not your fault?! Of course it's your fault!" The tomboy hissed, glaring right back.

"Prove it then!" Leiko retorted as she flicked her long ivory-silver hair over her shoulder.

Naoko smirked a bit as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Well, who was the one who attacked me when I didn't do anything?"

The silver-haired girl was opened her mouth to reply but remembered that she was the one who attacked her and, instead, settled for a glare.

Midori looked between the two before sighing and hitting them both upside the head again. "Let's just go already!"

The other two grumbled under their breaths and glared at each other once more before following their cat-eyed friend towards the Kumogakure Ninja Academy.

---

"Why exactly are we going to see a bunch of runts?" Leiko questioned, fiddling with her long-sleeved fishnet shirt.

The three girls were currently jumping from rooftop to rooftop in order to get to their destination quickly.

"Simple! 'Cause I want to see who are going to be this year's rookies!" Midori said smiling happily as her white and black tank tops rustled with the wind.

Naoko stayed silent, enjoying the light breeze of the wind as the three jumped onto another rooftop.

"Yeah, but why today?" The silver-haired girl asked, slightly annoyed.

Midori didn't answer and ran faster as Naoko followed closely behind.

"Huh? Hey!" Leiko shouted as she ran after them once she noticed that she was falling behind. "Wait for me!"

---

"I can't believe you guys ran ahead of me. . ." The violet eyed girl mumbled as she panted from all of the running.

The three girls were on different branches of the same tree near a large dojo-like school building.

Midori sweatdropped at the tired albino girl and laughed nervously while scratching the side of her face lightly. "Sorry 'bout that."

Naoko, who was standing above the other two, rolled her eyes and stretched a bit. "Are you really that tired?"

Leiko puffed out her cheeks and glared at the other girl. "Why you-!"

The green-black haired girl sighed a bit before noticing a large crowd of students in the backyard of the building. "Ah! Hey guys! They're starting the test!"

The other two blinked before all three of them dashed off towards the yard to get a closer look.

* * *

**Biography of Team 3:

* * *

**

_**- Iwate Midori**_

Stubborn yet genuine, this 5' 3" thirteen year old Kunoichi is one heck of a mystery. As a Genin of Team 3, she can be peaceful and quiet at one moment and then fired up and obnoxious the next. Midori has yellow-green eyes like a cat's, extremely straight medium length hair which has a sort of greenish black tint, ending just below her shoulder blades. She has an obsession with wrapping her hair, thus having wrapped strands of hair in the front and back of her head. She also braids two parts of her hair in front of her ears and ties it with green string. Midori can be seen usually wearing two tank tops; one black and one white, with the white one over the black one. She also wears a short sleeved fish-netted shirt underneath the tank tops, an arm bandage on her left forearm, and a pair of black gloves. In addition, she wears a pair of black pants and black ninja sandals with her hitai-ate on her forehead.

_**- Saruwatari Leiko **_

Loud and friendly, this thirteen year old girl is a hardworking Kunoichi who can get a little crazy at times. As the second Genin on Team 3, Leiko stands at 5 feet, 2 inches with features considered unusual but unique. Her appearance consists of pale skin tone with long shimmering ivory-silver hair and bangs up to her eyebrows along with a pair of bright amethyst-violet eyes. Leiko has a wild temper when mad and hates to be pushed around. Her usual attire consists of a short sleeved white kimono-type of shirt ending up to her waist with a long sleeved fish-netted shirt underneath. She also wears a small purple obi around her shirt, a pair of white capris and dark black ninja sandals that cover her toes but is heelless. Her hitai-ate is worn around her neck and she mainly uses the basic ninja gear.

- **_Tsubasa Naoko_**

Laid-back and carefree, this thirteen year old Kunoichi loves nothing more than daydreaming and relaxing in her free time. As a Genin on Team 3, Naoko has straight pure-black hair, honey-brown eyes, and a light skin tone that would've been pale if she wasn't outside a lot. Her hair is layered and cut to reach slightly below her chin so that it doesn't get in her way and she stands at exactly 5 feet, 3 inches with a very light build. Naoko's usual attire consists of: bandages around her chest, left elbow, and right knee; a fishnet around her right elbow and left knee, a pair of black fingerless gloves (with metal guard), a sleeveless male black Chinese fighting outfit, a pair of flexible black Capri-like pants, and a pair of black ninja sandals. Her clan symbol, a picture of a gold phoenix and a red dragon intertwining each other around a kunai, is on the back of the top part of her outfit. She wears her hitai-ate around her forehead to keep her layered bangs out of the way.

* * *

****

**A/N:** Yeah, I bet you're thinking this is another one of those clichéd Naruto fanfics, but it might be different than you think. Since we haven't heard much about the Kumogakure Shinobi, we decided to make a story about them. Though this chapter is a bit short, we hope you enjoyed it.

-Naoko-Miharu (:


	2. New Squad: Team 5!

**_Disclaimer:_** We don't own Naruto.  
The other characters however belong to us, Naoko & Miharu.

* * *

**Chapter Two: New Squad: Team 5!

* * *

**

In one of the many classrooms of the Kumogakure Ninja Academy, academy students were chattering away excited yet nervous at the same time.

Why were they all excited?

Simple.

It was because today was the day that all of the students would take the final test.

"Hah! I'll definitely ace this test! Believe it!" Exclaimed a twelve year old female student, standing on a desk.

A book was thrown at the back of the girl's head.

"Psh. As if. Don't you remember? You have the lowest chakra out of all of us here."

The girl glared at the speaker with her sapphire-blue eyes before making a face at him. "Bleh. Why don't you go back to your Fanclub, Uchiha-teme?"

The eleven year old boy, Uchiha as he was called by the girl, glared at her with his coal-black eyes. "Shut it, dobe. At least I'm not the one who failed one of the easiest tests!"

An anime vein throbbed on the girl's head as she retorted defensively, "It wasn't my fault that I got sick! Blame it on those evil carrots! And don't call me dobe! My name is Michiko! MI-CHI-KO!!! Get it through your thick skull Uchiha!!!"

Everyone else who had heard the girl's exclaimed remark rolled their eyes at the pathetic excuse, before returning to what they were originally doing.

The Uchiha's Fanclub, on the other hand, glared at Michiko while cracking their knuckles. "Oh Michiko-!"

The blue-eyed girl blinked and turned to the Fanclub before sweatdropping. "Oh fudge."

_--- (_**A/N**_ Censored fighting. . . .)_

After several moments of the Fanclub pummeling Michiko, they finally decided that it was enough and backed off to reveal. . .

A completely black-and-blue girl who was twitching every once in a while as a random classmate poked her with a stick that appeared out of nowhere.

The Uchiha smirked and relaxed in his chair, crossing his arms as he looked on amused at the scene in front of him. "Michiko-dobe."

Fortunately for him, the girl was knocked out cold with several of their classmates looking on pitying her.

One of their classmates, a twelve year old boy with moon-light silver eyes sat in the shadows gazing blankly at the figure before turning to look out a window near him.

'Not my problem. . . But I hope that I _don't_ get stuck with them. . . Otherwise. . . Two words: **complete chaos**.'

After several more moments, Michiko finally snapped out of the fainted trance and once set her eyes on the smirking Uchiha. . .

"**BAKAYAROU!!!**"

The blue-eyed girl was about to tackle the raven-black haired boy when a gloved hand grabbed her by the back of her collar.

"**HEY! LET ME GO! I SWEAR I'M GONNA KICK HIS-**"

"**MICHIKO, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!**" An angered voice shouted from behind her before. . .

-BONK! BONK! BONK!-

"Itai-tai-tai-tai. . ."

The brown haired girl sat on the floor rubbing her three newly-formed bumps. "Neh. What was that for, Akio-sensei?"

The man behind her was in his mid-twenties wearing the usual Chuunin uniform with the Kumogakure hitai-ate around his forehead.

"Well, I wouldn't have had to hit you if you didn't try to attack Shun-san over there." The teacher of the class, Akatsuka Akio, said annoyed as an anime vein throbbed on his forehead.

Michiko puffed out her cheek before turning her back on him. "He started it. . ."

Uchiha Shun's Fanclub all gained an anime vein as they glared at her. "HE DID NOT!"

The brown-haired girl cringed at the loud volume and moved away from the girls. 'K-Kowai. . .'

Akio-sensei sighed a bit before noticing the bruises on Michiko's body. 'Seems that the Fanclub overwhelmed her again. . .'

Focusing his chakra into the palms of his hands, a small ball of healing chakra slowly began to form before he placed his hands on Michiko's head. "Chiyute no Jutsu."

The bruises that Michiko once had, slowly but surely, began to heal until all of them were completely healed.

"Oro?" Michiko looked herself over in awe before giving a huge grin. "Arigatou gozaimasu Akio-sensei!"

Akio-sensei smiled and patted her on the head. "Now that, that's over with. . . Try not to anger them, okay?" Referring to the Fanclub.

The blue-eyed girl puffed out her cheeks again before nodding reluctantly. 'But it wasn't my fault that they provoked me first. . .'

"Okay everyone! Listen up! Today's the final exam to see if you pass as a Genin. Now, I want everyone to follow me to the training yard." Akio-sensei ordered.

Everyone got up and followed their teacher, some nervous and others confident, but all having the same thoughts.

_'I have to pass this.'_

---

'Now what?' Michiko thought as she stood with the rest of her peers.

Looking around she noticed that all of that year's academy students were there along with their Chuunin teachers.

'Yeesh. I hope that I pass. . .'

Michiko stopped that train of thought before shaking her head vigorously. 'Nuh uh. No way am I gonna think like that! I _will_ pass!'

Several of her classmates gave her a strange look but she shrugged it off as the one of the Chuunin began to speak.

"Konnichiwa minna. Watashi wa Hishida Ichiro desu." The blond-hair Chuunin said introducing himself.

From behind Michiko, Shun gave an annoyed and impatient look. 'Let's get this over with already!'

"Each class will follow a different Chuunin for their exams so will class 7-B please follow me." Ichiro-sensei commanded as he began to walk away.

'NANI?! I HAVE TO GO WITH HIM?! NOOO!!! AKIO-SENSEI! SAVE ME!!!" Michiko whined in her head as anime tears fell from her face.

The silver-eyed boy sighed a bit when he noticed that Michiko was just standing there with a dumbfounded look on her face as everyone was leaving.

'WAAAH! I DON'T WANNA GO WITH THAT WIERDO!!! SOMEONE PLEASE-Huh? Who's dragging me?' Michiko blinked a bit before looking at her shoulder.

'Okay. Arm attached to shoulder?'

'Check.'

'Hand to wrist to arm?'

'Check.'

'Another hand in mine?'

'Ch-wait a minute!'

Michiko stumbled a bit but regained her footing as she pulled her hand out of the boy who was dragging her.

"OI! No touchy!" The blue-eyed girl said scowling at the silver-eyed boy.

The boy stopped walking and blinked at her before shrugging and ran to catch up with the rest of the class.

"Huh? O-Oi! Chotto matte yo!" Michiko exclaimed annoyed before running after the class.

---

Panting a bit, Michiko leaned against a tree before glaring at Ichiro-sensei. 'Why the heck do we have to go all the way out here?!'

Class 7-B, Michiko's class, was currently in a forest about half a mile away from the Academy.

'Damn them all.' The brown-haired girl thought bitterly glaring at everyone but mainly directing it towards the examiner and the silver-eyed boy.

'Wait a minute. That guy's in my class?!' Michiko thought flabbergasted when she noticed the boy was there before putting on a thinking face.

'Now let's see. Silver-eyes. Freaky. Black and white hair. Whoa, what a weirdo. Hm. . . Who the heck is he?! Gah! I can't think!'

But she was broken out of her thoughts by Ichiro-sensei.

"The exam will not be taken together and so I will call you all up in reversed alphabetical order. Uchiha Shun!"

"Hai." The raven-haired boy got up and sauntered over to the blond teacher.

Michiko glared at the two. 'Tch. I bet he just wanted to meet the "oh-so-famous" Uchiha. Ahou. I hate him that I do.'

They talked for a moment before both Ichiro-sensei and Shun walked towards another part of the forest.

'OH. MY. GOSH.' Michiko thought before bursting out laughing making everyone look at her weirdly. "YAOI MOMENT!!!!!"

All of the girls turned red and some nose-bled while all of the guys turned pale and backed away from all of the girls.

---

After everyone calmed down, although the boys were still freaked out, Ichiro-sensei and Shun came back forest.

The only difference was that Shun had a victorious look on his face as the Kumogakure hitai-ate was tied around his waist.

The Fanclub automatically ran over to the Uchiha and started to congratulate him.

Michiko, on the other hand, rolled her eyes and slumped down to the ground slightly annoyed.

'CHIKUSHO! HURRY UP ALREADY!!!' Michiko thought annoyed before sighing when the teacher began to call out another's name.

---

About five students had already gone and Michiko was beginning to get extremely annoyed at how slow they were.

"Raikou Kuroi."

Michiko was about to ignore the name being called, when she saw the silver-eyed boy get up and follow him.

'Oh! So that was his name!' The blue-eyed girl thought before a thought triggered. 'Hey. . . Isn't Raikou the name of that sort of famous clan here?'

Michiko began to ponder on it but Kuroi soon came back with the hitai-ate around his neck.

"Michiko! You're up next!"

The girl twitched a bit but got up and followed the blond teacher. 'I really don't like this guy.'

---

"Okay. Michiko-san, I want you to transform into me and then create a duplicate of me." Ichiro-sensei said as he took out a clipboard.

'Why me?' Michiko though as she twitched a bit but nodded nonetheless.

Michiko placed her hands into the sign of the ram and focused her chakra, keeping in mind of Ichiro-sensei's image.

"Henge no Jutsu!"

A small explosion of smoke covered Michiko before revealing another Ichiro-sensei.

"Hm. . . Not perfect, but it's good enough to fool many, so I'll give you a 95 percent." Ichiro-sensei said as he wrote it down on his clipboard.

Michiko glared at him and growled a bit under her breath. 'Kisama. . .'

"Now I want you to create a duplicate while keeping the Henge no Jutsu on." The blonde teacher said looking at Michiko.

The brown-haired girl nodded curtly before forming the tiger sign which was soon followed by the boar, ox, and the dog sign.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Another explosion of smoke occurred before two Ichiro-sensei's were formed.

The real Ichiro-sensei nodded and wrote something on the clipboard. "Good. One hundred percent on that."

One final poof of smoke before it revealed Michiko again. 'Whew. At least I got one ace.'

Ichiro-sensei went over to a large desk that held many hitai-ate, smiled, and gave one to the girl. "Here you go. Congratulations!"

Taking it into her hands, Michiko grinned before tying it around her forehead happily and proudly and running back to the rest of her class.

"YATTA! I DID IT!" Michiko exclaimed bursting through the bushes.

The Fanclub scoffed at the still-cheering girl as Shun rolled his eyes.

The rest of the class gave her a weird look but shrugged it off as Ichiro-sensei called the next person.

---

Hidden among the trees, a squad of three Kunoichi looked on at the Genin below.

"This year's Genin. . . think that they will be able to pass the _real_ test?" The girl with a boy-styled hair said softly.

The girl on a tree branch below looked at her teammate with her yellow-green cat-eyes. "Hm? The real test? You mean the one that the Jounin assign to them?"

"Feh. Why don't we just wait and see." The albino girl said sitting on a branch on another tree.

Closing her honey-brown eyes, the tomboy smirked a bit. "I suppose so but can _you_ wait?"

The albino girl glared at the tomboy with her amethyst-violet eyes, "Why don't you stuff it, Ko-baka."

Before another argument broke out, the green-black haired girl jumped onto a branch that was in-between the two. "Come on you guys. Don't fight otherwise we'll get caught."

The albino let out an annoyed grunt before all three gazed at three particular Genin, all unknown to their presence.

"Well, we saw what you wanted to see, Midori-Chan. So let's go back." The tomboy said as she jumped onto a different branch.

The cat-eyed girl brushed one of her wrapped hair away from her face before grinning at her.

"Alright, Naoko-Chan. Come on, Leiko-Chan." She said as she jumped to another tree branch to the next.

"Huh? O-Oi!" The violet-eyed girl exclaimed before giving chase after her teammates. "Chotto matte yo!!!"

* * *

**Profile of Team 5:

* * *

**

- **_Michiko _**

With no memories of being in a clan but still having an up-beat and sassy attitude, this twelve year old girl will be a soon-to-be Genin on Team 5. Michiko has dark-brown hair, mischievous sapphire-blue eyes, and a fair skin tone with her hair tied up to reach slightly below her shoulders. Michiko stands at 142.24 centimeters (56 inches/4 feet, 8 inches) and has an average build. Michiko's usual attire consists of: a blue turtleneck that is zipped down to her collar bone, a pair of black cargo shorts, a blue fingerless left-hand glove that reaches below her elbow, a black wristband on her right wrist, and a pair of blue ninja sandals. Her hitai-ate is worn around her forehead.

- **_Uchiha Shun  
_**  
As a member from the prestigious Uchiha clan, Shun had skipped a year to join a Genin team although he is only eleven years old. However, despite the fact that he is part of such a greatly known clan, Shun has no idea about the massacre of his clan seeing as how he lives in Kumogakure. This young boy, like many others of his clan, has spiky raven-black hair, eager coal-black eyes, a fair skin tone, and stands at 142.24 centimeters (56 inches/4 feet, 8 inches) with an average build. Shun's usual attire consists of: bandages around his knees, a red t-shirt, a black hoodie over the t-shirt with the Uchiha clan symbol on the back, a pair of beige shorts, and a pair of blue ninja sandals. His hitai-ate is worn around his waist.

- **_Raikou Kuroi  
_**  
As part of a well known clan with lightning-based techniques, Kuroi is a naturally quiet person who, when angered, can be quite frightening but is often seen to as strange due to his appearance and quiet demeanor. This twelve-year old boy has chin-length messy pure-black hair with natural shoulder-length silver-white streaks, mysterious moonlight-silver eyes, and a light skin tone. Kuroi stands at 147.32 centimeters (58 inches/4 feet, 10 inches) with an average build. Kuroi's usual attire consists of: bandages around his left knee, a sleeveless maroon shirt, a light-blue jacket, a pair of beige shorts, a pair of black fingerless gloves (with metal 'knuckles'), and a pair of blue ninja sandals. His hitai-ate is worn around his neck.

* * *

**A/N: **Oh noes another Uchiha! Haha, well yeah, we couldn't resist.  
Saa, we hope you enjoyed Chapter 2! We'll be working on Chapter 3 soon so stay tuned and thanks for reading.

-Naoko-Miharu(:


	3. New Teams & Training

**_Disclaimer:_** We don't own Naruto.  
The other characters however belong to us, Naoko & Miharu.

* * *

**Chapter Three: New Teams and Training!

* * *

**

A couple of minutes after the three Kunoichi's observations of the new coming Genin, they all arrived at the center of the Village.

"So, what do you want to do now? We have the entire day off." The cat-eyed teen asked, putting both arms behind her head.

"I feel like training." The albino girl stated stretching a bit.

"Why? Feel the need to become stronger since you're so weak, Leiko-San?" The tomboy teased with a light grin.

"Oh shut up, Ko-Baka." Leiko retorted giving Naoko an irritated look.

"Make me." The tomboy mocked as her grin turned into a smirk.

Leiko was about to throw another retort when a sudden 'poof' was heard and a cloud of smoke appeared next to them.

"Hey! How's my favorite team doing?" A serene voice asked casually.

The teens looked over at the voice to see a tall figure that was smiling care-freely.

"Watanabe-Sensei!" They all exclaimed in unison, a bit surprised.

Watanabe Leneth was Team 3's Sensei and a highly skilled Jounin.

Heck she was the youngest Jounin Kumogakure has ever had seeing as how she's only nineteen years old.

She didn't wear the usual Jounin vest, but had instead, worn a thick, long sleeved tan shirt with the right sleeve rolled above her elbows with her clan symbol on the back.

"What are you doing here?" Leiko inquired forgetting about the small argument with Naoko.

"Gosh, how many times have I told you _not_ to call me '_Watanabe-Senseeei_' it sounds so old…" She said, a bit exaggerated.

"And I was just about to deliver a letter to Raikage-Sama." She answered, holding up a long envelope.

"Eheheh, gomen nasai." The girls apologized in unison slightly embarrassed.

"It's alright." Leneth-Sensei said before taking a look at the sky, "Hm. . . Well, I should be going now. I wouldn't want Raikage-Sama to get mad at me. So. . . I'll see you all tomorrow. Ja!"

The teens raised a hand casually as Leneth-Sensei disappeared in a 'poof' of thick, grey smoke.

"So, what do you want to do again?" The green-black haired girl asked turning towards her comrades.

"Train!" Leiko exclaimed, "Midori, we _need_ to train! Who knows when the Raikage might give us some awesome, difficult missions?"

"You've got a point there." Midori said, crossing her arms before looking at the honey-brown eyed girl. "What do you say Naoko?"

The tomboy merely shrugged, "Sure, why not? After all, a bit of training wouldn't hurt."

"Yosh! Let's go then!" Leiko exclaimed as she turned and pointed to a direction, "To the training grounds!"

"Wrong way." Naoko said yawning a bit before walking in the other direction.

Leiko turned slightly red before huffing, "I knew that!"

"Sure you did." Naoko retorted before running as the violet-eyed girl began chasing her.

"KO-BAKA! GET BACK HERE!"

Midori sighed a bit before running after them, laughing softly.

---

It was the next day and after the final Genin exam as all the new Genin sat anxiously in their seats.

'I wonder what team I'm in. . . .' The blue-eyed and brown-haired girl thought resting her head on the table.

Staring out the window, Michiko narrowed her eyes slightly. 'Oh well. As long as I'm not with that Uchiha-Teme, I'd be completely fine with whomever.'

Suddenly, happy shrieks from girls near the front were heard before the girl groaned a bit and buried her head into her arms.

The Uchiha Fan Club was already in the class and swooning over the young male prodigy.

'Someone kill me now. . .' Michiko thought somberly before sighing and fixing her hitai-ate over her forehead.

The door to the classroom soon opened to reveal Akio-Sensei smiling at all of them.

'Thank goodness it's not that weird teacher.' Michiko thought before shuddering at the thought of Ichiro-Sensei.

"First of all, congratulations to all that had passed." Akio-Sensei said as everyone cheered.

"Neh, Akio-Sensei. Are we gonna get sorted into squads now?" A girl with long brown-black hair and silver-black eyes asked excited.

A small black kitten with the same silver-black eyes as the girl mewed as if to ask the same question.

Akio-Sensei smiled at the girl before nodding. "I was just getting to that, Akemi-San."

Turning back to the class, Akio-Sensei's expression turned serious and somewhat grim.

"Now that all of you are Genin, you all need to be careful. As a Shinobi, you should never let your guards down."

"Heh. We already know that, Akio-Sensei. Why else do you think we all passed the tests?" A boy said arrogantly.

"I suppose that's true, Eizan-San. But it's still a good idea to remind you all." Akio-Sensei said sighing a bit.

A fragile-looking boy raised his hand. "How many Genin will be in a squad, Akio-Sensei?"

"Three is the required number, Shiroi-San." The man said before holding up a clipboard. "I will now move onto who will be in which group and who your Jounin teachers will be."

Everyone looked at their Chuunin teacher. Some were slightly nervous while others were curious.

"The Genin for Team 1 will be Ito Juri. . ."

A girl with long aqua-blue hair, tied into two braided pig-tails, and blue-green eyes looked at Akio-sensei alert.

"Minami Seiki. . ."

A boy with forest-green hair and chocolate-brown eyes blinked and stopped reading a large open book.

"And Sen Taisho."

A boy with red-orange hair and sapphire-blue eyes stopped playing with a kunai and looked up as the girl slumped down a bit disappointed.

"You're Jounin teacher will be Yoemon Eiji. You three may go and have lunch now. Best if you guys stick together and get to know each other."

The said three nodded and left the room as Akio-Sensei continued calling out names.

"Team 2 will have Fuyu Shiroi. . ."

The fragile-looking boy who had short boy-cut snow-white hair and piercing ice-blue eyes gave a faint smile.

"Fujita Eizan. . ."

The arrogant boy with messy brown hair and emerald-green eyes sighed slightly annoyed at the fact that he was stuck with Shiroi.

"And Tsumura Akemi on the squad."

The girl with the kitten smiled a bit and turned to her partner. "Looks like our time with the team will be an interesting one, Kurai-chan."

The black feline mewed in response as Akio-sensei continued to speak.

"Your Jounin teacher will be Soseki Toki. You three may leave as well."

Team 2 nodded in response before walking out the door.

"Since there's already a Team 3, I will skip onto Team 4." Akio-sensei said before he saw a hand raised. "Yes, Yuji-san?"

"What do you mean by there's already a Team 3?" The said boy with blond hair asked.

Akio-sensei smiled a bit mysteriously. "I meant what I said Yuji-san. Now, Team 4 will consist of you, Tsutomu Yuji. . ."

The blond haired boy blinked his golden-brown eyes before nodding and thinking to himself that he would ask his Jounin teacher later.

"Umeki Tomoe. . ."

A girl with long, wavy black hair that's tied into a high ponytail and violet-purple eyes nodded looking at a certain raven haired boy.

"And Matoke Koji."

The girl looked disappointed as a boy with shoulder length blue-black hair and crimson-red eyes looked up.

"Your Jounin teacher will be Daishi Hiroko. You guys should go now."

The squad left quickly without as much of a backwards glance as Akio-sensei glanced at the next on list.

"And now onto Team 5 which will consist of Michiko. . ."

The dark-brown haired and sapphire-blue eyed girl looked up before stretching.

"Raikou Kuroi. . ."

The black and white haired boy with moonlight-silver eyes glanced at the teacher before gazing outside again.

"And Uchiha Shun."

The raven-black haired and coal-black eyed boy looked up before scowling as Michiko glared at him.

"Your Jounin teacher will be Watanabe Dante. Now onto Team-"

"CHOTTO MATTE YO!!!"

Everyone blinked and turned to Michiko who was standing up with an annoyed look on her face.

"Is there a problem, Michiko?" Akio-Sensei asked calmly.

"YES THERE'S A PROBLEM! WHY DO I HAVE TO GET STUCK WITH THAT LOSER?!" The blue-eyed girl shouted pointing at Shun.

"Haven't anyone told you not to point at people?" The Uchiha retorted giving her a blank look.

"WHY YOU-!!!" Michiko was about to tackle the eleven year old when Kuroi held her back by her collar. "LET ME GO! I SWEAR! I'M GONNA KICK-!!!"

Before she could say anything else, Akio-Sensei's sharp voice cut her off. "Michiko!"

The girl flinched a bit but quieted down still pouting a bit.

The man sighed a bit before explaining. "The reason why the squads are ordered this way is so that the teams are balanced."

"How would the team not be balanced if Uchiha-Teme wasn't here?" Michiko grumbled annoyed.

Akio-sensei sighed a bit again. "Unlike you who had passed with below average, Michiko, Shun-san had passed with perfect scores on his written tests."

The girl turned red from embarrassment as everyone else that was left in the class snickered a bit.

"But aside from that, Michiko, you passed with one of the highest scores on your practical exam while Shun-san passed with an average one."

This time, the Uchiha looked a bit embarrassed before the rest of his Fanclub went to 'comfort' him.

"And Kuroi-san had balanced it out because he received an above average grade for his." Akio-sensei said as he finished explaining. "Understood?"

Michiko sighed annoyed but nodded nonetheless.

"Good. Now go have lunch as I finished this up." Akio-sensei said before the three left the classroom.

---

The three Kunoichi arrived at a large grassy field with a couple of obstacle courses on the far end.

"Ready?" The honey-brown eyed girl asked, a hint of mischievousness rising in her voice.

The two other Kunoichi nodded before all three of them splitted up.

Naoko and Midori jumped onto two large trees as Leiko hid behind an obstacle course surrounding the training grounds.

"Oi, Midori." Naoko whispered to her cat-eyed comrade, shifting a bit in the tree.

Midori slowly turned to face the tomboy, and whispered back, "What? Wait a-Don't tell me. You want to tag team and attack Leiko-San, right?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Naoko said, grinning.

Midori sighed a bit and took a look at the seemingly empty training grounds.

"Fine, but we've got to find Leiko-San. She's good at hiding you know." She said, her eyes darting from the obstacle courses to the large trees.

"Heh. Found her." Naoko stated, smirking, "She's behind that obstacle course near the Sakura tree, 40 degrees to your left."

"Got it." Midori said as she jumped from tree branch to tree branch and getting closer to Leiko, who was searching her surroundings and holding a couple of shurikens.

"I should go too." The tomboy whispered to herself, as she also edged closer to Leiko.

Midori was about five feet behind Leiko, crouching in a large bush when she accidentally stepped on a twig, causing it to make a slightly loud crack, loud enough for Leiko to turn around and throw a few shurikens at her.

Luckily, Midori escaped that predicament and ran out of the bushes, throwing several shurikens back at Leiko.

Leiko's eyes widened a bit but she managed to dodge it in time.

Without anyone knowing, Naoko jumped out of the tree she was hiding in and aimed for Leiko.

"Houshou!!" Naoko exclaimed as she hit Leiko by the shoulders with her right palm making the albino girl flinch as she was hurled almost eighteen feet away.

With her still in mid-air, Midori caught up with Leiko, inhaled and formed the Snake, Dragon, Rabbit, and Tiger signs before calling out, "Katon: Karyuu Endan!!"

A stream of hot red flames dispersed out of her mouth as she exhaled, aiming directly at Leiko.

"We got her!" Naoko exclaimed, running towards Midori when the attack ended.

As Midori turned around to face her, she saw a couple of shurkiens fly towards Naoko.

"Look out, behind you!"

Naoko glanced behind her before smirking a bit.

Taking out her weapon from her back, she flicked her wrist, making a large gust of wind appear as the cloth flew off and forcing the shurikens to miss her and hit the ground.

There was a loud thump and a 'poof' behind the two Kunoichi, as they both turned around.

"She was a clone?!" Midori exclaimed, "Didn't see that coming."

"Well I guess you didn't see _this_ coming either!"

Midori and Naoko looked up and saw at least five shadow clones of Leiko charging directly at them from midair, with shurikens at hand.

"Take this!" All the Leiko clones exclaimed, throwing the shurikens at once.

Both Midori and Naoko dodged the shurikens, hastily and carefully, before the two backed away from Leiko and her clones.

Midori placed her hands together and formed her familiar hand signs before calling out, "Nemurihane!!"

A flurry of soft white feathers suddenly appeared, surrounding the training grounds.

"Hm. . . Good choice. Leiko always falls for that." Naoko said, as she placed her hands together, and whispered harshly, "Kai!"

The feathers deflected from Naoko and Midori, except for Leiko and her clones that have fallen asleep and 'poofed' away, leaving the real one drooling and sound asleep.

"You think that's enough training for today?" Midori asked, dispelling the Genjutsu while walking towards her sleeping comrade.

"For Leiko it isn't." The tomboy stated, tightening up her weapon on her back.

Midori laughed at her statement before the sound of two stomachs growling was heard.

Blushing faintly, Midori gave an embarrassed laugh. "I guess I'm kinda hungry. You want to go back to my place? My mom made some onigiri."

Naoko's own blush eventually faded as she grinned at the thought of some delicious homemade onigiri and nodded, "Heck why not?"

"Yosh! Let's go then!" Midori exclaimed, before kneeling beside Leiko and placing her hands together and tapping her once. "Kai!"

* * *

**Jounin Biography:

* * *

**

**_- Watanabe Leneth_ **

Despite her innocent and quiet exterior, this young, witty, and naïve nineteen year old is the youngest Kumogakure Jounin of Team 3. Leneth stands at 5'7" and is someone you don't want to mess around with. Leneth has long sandy blonde hair in which she braids into a low ponytail. She also has bangs framing her sun kissed face and green-hazel eyes. Leneth is usually seen sporting a tan cotton long-sleeved shirt with her right sleeve rolled above her elbows and a short sleeved fish-netted shirt underneath. She is also seen with arm bandages around her upper left arm. She wears dark blue pants which reaches a couple of inches below her knees, and heelless blue ninja sandals. She wears her hitai-ate on her forehead.

* * *

****

**A/N:** Another chapter complete! Thanks Wolf-Demon13 for reviewing, we're glad you like the story so far.  
We'll be working on the next chapter soon, so stay tuned and thanks for reading.

-Naoko-Miharu (:


	4. A Belly Full of Ramen

**_Disclaimer:_ **We don't own Naruto.  
The other characters however belong to us, Naoko & Miharu.  
There will be swears thrown in here, just to let you fellow readers know.  
Now on to the chapter!

(---) - means a small time skip.  
_Italics_ – Flashback  
**_Italics with Bold_** – Past communication

* * *

**Chapter Four: A Belly Full of Ramen!

* * *

**

After leaving the classroom, the newly formed Team 5 was walking around the center of the village for their lunch break.

'Tch, I still can't believe I got stuck with that stupid Uchiha-Teme...' Michiko thought, crossing her arms and pouting slightly as she followed her new teammates, Raikou Kuroi and Uchiha Shun.

They were walking towards a small café, known Café Kaminari, where someone can buy small snacks and delicious light meals in a matter of minutes.

Since Café Kaminari had a special occasion going on, the owner allowed all of the new Genin to have meals for free, which was the reason why the team was going to the café to eat.

When they took their seats with Kuroi and Shun on one side and Michiko on the other, they began to order their lunch while waiting for their new Jounin-Sensei to arrive.

Michiko ordered a bowl of beef ramen, Kuroi ordered a small steamed bun, and Shun ordered. . . _a glass of water_?!

While Michiko, Kuroi, and Shun said their thanks, Michiko couldn't help but wonder why that Uchiha just ordered a glass of water.

With a mouthful of ramen, she spoke up, "Yo, Uchiha-Teme, aren't you going to get something else, _besides water_?"

Shun placed his glass of water down on the table calmly and looked up at Michiko.

"You have something against water?" He asked harshly.

"NO! It's just that I have a problem with _you_ eating like a _wussy_!" Michiko exclaimed slamming her chopsticks on the table, "I mean are you on a diet or something? Why are you eating like some anorexic person?!"

The Uchiha just smirked, "And why do _you_ care all of a sudden?"

Michiko gained an anime vein before yelling, "Well it happens that I DON'T care Uchiha! It's just that since we're a team now, you should be eating right! Right, Kuroi-san?"

Kuroi placed his steamed bun on his plate, "She does have a point there, Uchiha-Kun."

Shun just glared at Michiko, "Fine, if you think I should eat well, then why don't we have a contest?"

"A contest?" Michiko questioned, before her lips curved into a grin, "You are so on, Uchiha-Teme."

Shun let out a soft 'humph' before he leaned against his chair and crossed his arms.

"Oi, can you prepare several bowls of beef ramen?! We're about to have an eating contest!" Michiko called over to the chef.

"It'll be done in a minute!" The chef replied.

"Heh. I'm so gonna beat you and then you'll have to eat better." Michiko said with a cocky smirk.

Shun just rolled his eyes and leaned forward not replying to the girl.

---

A couple of minutes later, one of the waiters brought over two large bowls of beef ramen, which was steaming and smelling as good as ever from the counter.

"Ready?" Kuroi asked, sighing right after the bowls were placed done.

Michiko and Shun narrowed their eyes before they both said, "Itadakimasu."

And began to chomp down the beef ramen like animals.

Kuroi merely sighed and began to finish up his second ordered steamed bun.

Minute after minute passed by, and the pile of bowls were being stacked by the number.

After forty-five servings, both Shun and Michiko clenched their stomachs and heaved.

"Done yet?" Kuroi asked.

"NO!" Michiko exclaimed, "We still need to have the barbeque contest!"

"NANI?!" Shun shouting jumping out of his seat, slightly pale at the thought of eating after_ forty-five_ servings of ramen.

"You heard me Uchiha-Teme! A BAR-BE-QUE CONTEST! Unless you're too _chicken_ to beat me in that." The brown-haired girl said smirking at the look of horror on the boy's face.

Shun growled a bit under his breath before sitting down. "Dobe, I'm not going to verse you in a Barbeque contest. Besides you look like you're about to explode."

"My name is MI-CHI-KO, not Dobe!" The girl said, pronouncing each syllable in her name while pointing her finger at Shun, who just glared at her. "And you _are_ chicken aren't you?"

Shun kept on his icy glare stance before saying, "Waiter, get some barbeque! I'm going to make this quick, don't want you to explode ramen 'cause I sure as hell don't want to clean it up."

"Shut up teme." Michiko said, picking up her wooden chopsticks as she prepared for another round of food.

---

The chef brought over dishes of raw meat to the Team's table and smiled, "Enjoy!"

Michiko and Shun both placed their meat over the cooker and prepared to eat.

After five dishes, Michiko was about to dive in for more when Kuroi stopped her.

"Nani? Why'd you stop me?" Michiko asked, a bit surprised.

"Have you noticed that it's been an hour and a half since we've been here and that Watanabe-sensei isn't here?" Kuroi asked.

"Now that I think about. . . You're right, where exactly is he?" Shun asked, placing his bowl and chopsticks down.

"I'll go find him." Kuroi said, standing up and heading towards the door. "And I think that we, or rather you two, have had enough food for now."

Both Michiko and Shun glared at each other before they let their contest drop and followed Kuroi to search for their sensei.

---

Meanwhile, back with our fellow Team 3 members, the three Kunoichi were heading back from their training to Midori's house for lunch via. Rooftops.

"Jeez, I can't believe I fell for that Genjutsu again. . ." Leiko mumbled, annoyed while jumping onto another rooftop.

"You should have already known how to dispel that." Naoko said to her albino teammate, also jumping to another rooftop.

"Zip it, Ko-Baka!" Leiko said, narrowing her eyes a bit. "Oh! By the way Midori."

"Hm? What is it?" Midori asked as she landed on the next rooftop.

"If that was me before Ko-Baka over there did that Houshou. . ." Leiko started, "YOU DO KNOW THAT YOU COULD'VE_ KILLED_ ME WITH THAT ATTACK, RIGHT?!?!"

Midori sweatdropped before laughing nervously, "Ehehehe, gomen nasai Leiko-san."

"-Sigh- It's alr-- Hey! It's those Genin from before." Leiko noted, stopping on one rooftop and pointing towards a group of Genin.

"Hm? Well would you look at that. It _is_ them." Naoko said landing on the same roof as the albino girl before stretching a bit.

"Heh. I think I'll go congratulate them." Leiko said smirking mischievously.

Midori sweatdropped a bit but before either girls could stop Leiko, she jumped off of the building and landed on the ground several feet away from Team 5.

Naoko clicked her tongue, a bit annoyed, before leaning on the rails of the rooftop. "Tch. Oh well, not my problem."

Midori sighed a bit and stood next to the tomboy while gazing at the scene below them. "If things get out of hand. . ."

"I know, I know." Naoko said as she closed her eyes, also sighing a bit. "I'll handle it when that happens."

---

Team 5 was currently casually walking along the path leading from the Café Kaminari through the market place of the village.

"Where the heck is he?!" Shun growled annoyed.

Michiko rolled her eyes. "We haven't even been looking for five minutes and you're already annoying."

"What d'you say?!" The raven-haired boy hissed annoyed glaring at the girl.

"What are you? Deaf? 'Cause I said that as clear as day!" The blue-eyes girl retorted.

By now, the Uchiha seemed to be extremely close to taking out his kunai and stabbing Michiko to death if it wasn't for the fact that he would be convicted as a murderer and a traitor.

While, the two were bickering away, they didn't see that a silver-haired girl had landed in front of them although a good distance away.

Kuroi, on the other hand, stopped walking and narrowed his moonlight-eyes in suspicion.

"That was a rhetoric question!" Shun said getting agitated.

"Tch. As if-" Michiko said before she bumped into Kuroi and fell on the floor. "Itai! Geez Louise, Kuroi! Why did you stop?!"

"Look." The quiet boy said shortly before his companions followed his gaze.

The violet-eyed girl had a smirk on her face as she taunted them. "About time the little ones noticed me."

"What did you call me, I mean us?!" Michiko shouted jumping back onto her feet.

"Who are you?" Shun asked coldly while Kuroi stayed quiet, analyzing the stranger.

"Aren't you supposed to introduce yourselves first before asking for another's name?" The girl said as her smirk turned 'evil'-like.

"Tch. Why should we? I mean. I know that you're an old hag but. . ." Shun said before trailing off.

Shun gave a slight grin as the girl's smirk was quickly replaced by a frown.

"I AM NOT AN OLD HAG!!!" The albino scowled as anime vein appeared on her forehead. "I'M NATURALLY BORN THIS WAY, BAKA!!!"

This time, Shun frowned as an anime vein appeared on him as well. "I AM NOT A BAKA!!! I HAPPEN TO PASS WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST GRADES!!!"

Michiko and Kuroi both sweatdropped and sighed as the two began throwing insults at each other.

"WELL, YOU PROBABLY CHEATED OFF OF SOME POOR GUY!!!"

"I DID NOT! I BET THAT YOU HAD JUST BARELY PASSED!!!"

"WHAT?! WELL EXCUSE ME FOR BEING EXTREMELY SMART, JACKASS!!!"

"SHUT IT, GRANDMA!!!"

"WHY DON'T YOU, SHORT-STUFF!!!"

"I'M STILL A GROWING BOY!!! AND AT LEAST MY BONES AREN'T HALF-DUST!!!"

"HEY! I RESENT THAT! I DRINK MILK! PROBABLY UNLIKE YOU!!!"

"I DO TOO DRINK MILK! BESIDES YOU CAN'T EXPECT ME TO GROW UP IN AN INSTANT!"

Before, the mysterious girl could retort back, two other figures appeared next to her.

Almost immediately did Team 5 quiet and tense up as all three sensed their strong auras.

"I'm surprised that you could keep throwing insults like that." The 'boy' with jet-black hair said nonchalantly as 'he' dropped the object that was tied on 'his' back onto the floor.

A loud 'THUD' was heard as the ground cracked a bit from the weight of the four feet object wrapped in red cloth.

"Especially since your brain is the size of a pea." 'He' finished taunting as a sly smirk graced itself on 'his' lips.

Team 5 let out a barely audible gulp as they moved closer to each other, still staring at the newly-made crack.

"Why you-?!" The albino shouted about to pounce the 'boy' but was held back by the other person.

"Quit it you two!" The girl with green-black hair hissed as she narrowed her yellow-green cat-eyes slightly. "Unless you want me to _punish_ you."

The albino girl growled a bit but stopped trying to tackle the 'boy' who shrugged a bit before turning to the new Genin team.

"Sorry about our mentally-challenged friend over here." The 'boy' apologized although it sounded like 'he' could care less.

Kuroi gave a stiff nod, still tense and wary of the three strangers.

"I AM NOT MENTALLY-CHALLENGED!!!" The girl yelled, close to what may have been referred to 'at the top of her lungs'.

The 'boy' flinched a bit at the loud volume before patting the fuming girl on the head as if she was a child. "Now, now. No needs to get cranky like the aging woman you are."

The violet-eyed girl looked as if she was about to murder the 'boy' but the dark-haired girl stepped in between and pushed the two away from each other.

"Come on, you guys. If Wa-I mean, Leneth-sensei catches you two fighting again. Who knows what she'll do?!" The girl said giving both of them a look.

"Tch. Fine." The honey-brown eyed 'boy' sighed as 'he' picked up and tied the fallen object onto 'his' back again before thinking, 'Oh well, at least I was able to intimidate the newbie's. . .'

The cat-eyed girl sighed a bit before smiling, somewhat nervously, at Team 5 and bowing apologetically. "I'm really sorry about that. My names Iwate Midori, by the way."

Midori then smacked the other two on the head before giving them a look. "Well? Introduce yourselves!"

The silver haired girl grumbled a bit under her breath before giving the new Genin a short nod and saying shortly, "The name's Saruwatari Leiko."

The 'boy' sighed a bit with a look of boredom on 'his' face. "Tsubasa Naoko."

Midori smiled a bit but before she could say anything, Michiko pointed at Naoko and gave a look of incredulous before voicing her comments.

"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME, I mean _US_, THAT YOU'RE A GIRL?!?!?!" The blue-eyed girl shouted after her teammates gave her a look when she said 'me'.

Naoko sweatdropped a bit before an irritated look appeared on her face when Leiko began snickering.

"Yes, I am a _girl_ and, yes, I am _telling_ you this." The tomboy growled giving them a glare that said 'say _anything_ else and you _won't_ be living'.

Everyone sweatdropped and backed away, intimidated by Naoko's 'evil-eye of doom that will send you to hell after you die' glare (which was graciously named by Leiko).

"D-Don't w-worry ab-bout it. We won't say anything else about it." Shun said giving a nervous smile before nudging Michiko. "Right?"

"Y-Yeah. Ehehehehe?" The girl said laughing nervously as she backed up the Uchiha despite that they're supposed to be rivals.

Kuroi said nothing and merely looked away with a faint blush on his cheeks. 'No wonder his-I mean _her_- face seemed too feminine-ish. . .'

Naoko let out a 'tch' before glaring at the ground, still a bit annoyed.

Midori sighed a bit as the thick tension lifted immensely. "Well, anyways. We better get going."

"Nani?! No way!!" Leiko shouted after she finished laughing at Naoko. "I still haven't fought them yet!!"

Team 5 looked surprised at her sudden outburst as Midori sweatdropped with an annoyed look on her face.

"And when did you say anything about fighting them?" The cat-eyed girl said tapping her right foot as she crossed her arms.

Leiko sweatdropped nervously. "Um. . . Ehehehehe?"

"Baka." Naoko said, rolling her eyes as she leaned on the wall of a random shop.

Leiko glared at the tomboy before looking over at Team 5 and pointing to the raven-haired boy. "Hey squirt! I'm taking you down!"

Shun grinned a bit in anticipation. "Feh. It'll be your own defeat."

"Why you-" Leiko growled under her breath.

"I'm not taking part of this." Midori mumbled as she sat on Naoko's right side.

"CHOTTO MATTE YO!" Michiko shouted glaring at Shun. "WHY THE HELL DOES THAT LOSER GET TO FIGHT AND NOT ME?!"

Naoko raised an eyebrow at the loud girl. "Hm? You want to fight?"

"Damn straight I do!" The brown-haired girl said with an annoyed look on her face.

The tomboy smirked a bit, clearly amused, before pushing herself off of the wall. "Then why don't you fight me?"

"No prob-wait a min-what?!?!" Michiko exclaimed as she seemed to pale.

Naoko's smirk grew as she taunted the twelve year old. "Why not? After all, you're oh-so-eager to fight."

Michiko gulped a bit before taking a deep breath. "You're on!"

Midori had an annoyed look on her face before turning to Kuroi. "You wanna have a go too? I'm starting to feel left out."

'You too, huh?' Kuroi thought as he sweatdropped a bit before nodding. "Okay."

"Yosh!" Leiko exclaimed punching the air. "We'll go back to the training grounds then!"

Everyone nodded in agreement and began to walk off towards the direction of the training grounds.

---

"Yosh! So who will start first?" Leiko asked giving a confused look.

Naoko was about to reply to the question when Midori remembered something that cut her off.

"Ah! We never asked you guys for your names!" The cat-eyed girl exclaimed as she used her right fist to punch her left palm.

Team 5 sweatdropped as Leiko did an anime fall and Naoko gave an anime sigh.

"The name's Michiko! I have no last name and I'm proud of it!" The blue-eyed girl said grinning widely.

Leiko sweatdropped at her optimistic attitude as Midori and Naoko narrowed their eyes in slight confusion but neither said anything.

The coal-black eyed boy cleared his throat a bit. "My name's Uchiha Shun. Ignore the dobe over there."

"I am not a dobe!" Michiko hissed before the two engaged in a verbal fight.

The duo-color haired boy shook his head a bit before giving Team 3 an apologetic look. "I'm called Raikou Kuroi and sorry about them."

Leiko and Naoko shrugged it off as Midori returned his smile as she thought, 'Well, at least I'm not the only one suffering from constant verbal fights. . .'

---

"Well now that everyone knows each other's names. Who starts the first fight?" Midori asked out loud as they entered the forest part of the training grounds.

Sitting down on the soft grass, everyone looked deep in thought. . . well, almost everyone.

Naoko was merely leaning on a tree with her eyes closed, sleeping perhaps or maybe just resting her eyes.

"Why don't Leiko-Sempai and Uchiha-Kun start since Leiko-sempai _did _want to fight first. . . ?" Kuroi said softly.

"I think that's the longest you've ever said, Kuroi-san." Shun mused before stretching and ignoring Kuroi's irritated expression. "But, yeah, why don't we go with that?"

"Sure." Leiko said smirking as the two took their places on the clear arena of the training grounds.

The obstacles were already moved out of the way so that no one would get hurt.

"I'll be referee!" Michiko exclaimed grinning a bit as she pretended to be holding a microphone.

_"Welcome to the Tournament of the Genin! Our first fight will consist of, on the blue side, the silver-haired thirteen years old, Saruwatari Leiko!"_

'What the-?! What kind of description is that?!' Leiko thought as she twitched a bit at the lame description before shrugging it off as she took a fighting stance.

_"And on the red side, we have the great-super-ultra-ultimate-master retard of all, Uchiha Shun!"_

Shun growled a bit and gave Michiko an evil glare but she ignored it and continued talking.

_"And now, are the two fighters ready?"_

Shun took a fighting pose as he rested his hand on his weapon pouch while thinking, 'After this is over, I am going to give that dobe a piece of my mind.'

_"BEGIN!"_

---

Shun immediately took out several shurikens and threw it at the albino girl before charging at her while making handseals at the same time.

'Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog. Bunshin no Jutsu!'

Two other copies of the raven-haired boy appeared after Leiko blocked the shurikens with a kunai.

One of the Shun's ran forward and attempted to punch the violet-eyed girl but Leiko easily saw through the trick and punched him.

The clone disappeared in a 'poof' as Leiko began making the familiar Ram-Serpent-Tiger handseals.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Leiko shouted as nine real clones appeared.

"What the-?!" Shun exclaimed before creating handseals once more. "Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Eight more clones appeared and now it was a fight to see which one would get caught first.

All of the clones, plus the real ones, charged at each other but Shun's side was losing since, of course, the Kage Bunshin is superior to regular Bunshin.

'Damn it. At this rate, I won't even be able to land a hit on her!' The Uchiha thought as he punched one of the Shadow Clones several times before it 'poofed' away.

Leiko smirked a bit when she saw that only one Shun was actually attacking. 'Got you.'

Creating the handseals Tiger, Boar, Ox, Dog, and Serpent; Leiko quickly replaced herself and landed on a tree as the real Shun attack her.

The raven-haired Uchiha looked surprised as 'Leiko' suddenly 'poofed' into pieces of grass before he narrowed his eyes. 'Damn. That's the Kawarimi no Jutsu, the body substitute technique.'

Shun looked around, tensed and alert, as he tried to sense her chakra. 'No good. It's like she hid it from me. But is that even possible?!'

Leiko smirked a bit as she gazed at the confused Uchiha. 'Baka. Standing out there in the open. Oh well, it's time for you to go down anyways.'

'Damn it. Where the heck is she?!' Shun thought annoyed. 'Did she find out that I'm merely out here as-!!!'

He was cut off as a voice rang out. "Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Five clones of Leiko jumped out of their hiding place heading towards the Uchiha.

Shun's eyes widen as he tried to jump away but one clone grabbed him by the wrist.

-KA-BOOM!-

The clone exploded blowing the raven haired boy into and through several trees.

The other clones were about to go after him when several shurikens were thrown at them.

---

The clones exploded on contact with the weapons before Leiko jumped out of her hiding spot.

"KO-BAKA!!!" The silver haired girl shouted pointing at the now-awake tomboy. "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT FOR?!"

Rolling her honey-brown eyes, Naoko retorted harshly. "You were about to _kill_ him with those clones."

Leiko opened her mouth to respond to the comment when a soft groan was heard from where Shun had landed.

Everyone looked over to see Midori kneeling next the Uchiha with her hands glowing a soft blue color.

"Leiko-san, you should have known better." Midori whispered as she continued to tend the injured shinobi.

Shun opened his eyes before getting up and rubbing his head a bit. "Damn that hurt."

Naoko blinked before shrugging and dragging Michiko onto the arena. "Our turn."

Michiko paled slightly and gave the others a look that said 'Help me!!! I'm gonna get killed by her!!!' before anime tears flowed down her cheeks when everyone else shook their heads.

Dropping Michiko on one side of the arena, Naoko took her place on the other as she let out a small grin. 'This will be fun. . .'

'Oh fudge-a-roni. I am _so_ dead.' The brown haired girl thought to herself before getting up and taking her position. 'But even so, I won't give up without a fight!'

Shun, who had been healed by Midori's 'Chiyute no Jutsu', sat beneath a tree and smirked at Michiko's semi-fearful. 'She's dead.'

Leiko rejoined Midori and Kuroi by the trees, crossing her arms as she leaned on a tree.

Kuroi shook his head at Shun's smirk before sweatdropping at Naoko's evil grin. 'Man, am I glad I'm not her opponent. . .'

'What am I going to do with them?' Midori thought sighing a bit before looking at Michiko and back to Naoko. 'Well, I might as well referee it.'

Stepping up a bit, Midori sighed once more. "Whoever loses consciousness first or whenever I believe that the battle is over, it's over. Okay?"

Both girls nodded in understandment as they stared each other down.

"Alright then, are you two ready?" The cat-eyed girl said stepping back a bit.

Both girls nodded again before they took their designated fighting positions.

_"BEGIN!"_

---

Michiko grabbed several shurikens and threw them at the tomboy thinking that she will dodge them.

Naoko, however, merely stood there with her hands slightly above her weapon pouch.

When the shurikens were about half way towards Naoko, she quickly whipped out several shurikens of her own and threw them.

'Deflecting them with her own?' Michiko thought confused before her eyes widen when she saw that Naoko's shurikens went past her own shurikens.

Thinking quickly, Michiko took out two kunai's and deflected the shurikens several feet away from her.

Looking towards Naoko's direction, Michiko was surprised to find that she had disappeared. 'What the-?! Where-?!'

But before she could finish that train of thought, Naoko appeared in front of her, bracing against the ground before kneeing her into the air. "Shoushitsu!"

As Michiko was still in mid-air, Naoko reappeared behind her and drove her palm into the girl's shoulder throwing towards the ground. "Houshou!"

However, before Michiko actually hit the ground, Naoko reappeared under her again and grabbed Michiko with her left hand.

Pulling her right arm back slightly, the tomboy drove her palm upwards into Michiko's stomach, hurling the girl back into the air again. "Shougekishou!"

Thinking that it was enough, Naoko jumped back a few feet and allowed Michiko to hit the ground with a 'thud'.

Michiko coughed a bit and spat out some blood before getting up on all fours. 'Damn that hurt like shit.'

"Oi! Michiko-san! Daijoubu de gozaru ka?" Naoko asked (Himura Kenshi-style) becoming slightly concern when she saw the blood. 'Maybe I went a bit too hard?'

'Itai!' Michiko thought as she flinched at the sudden pain at her stomach. 'Damn it! That is _so_ going to leave a huge-ass bruise.'

The brown haired girl spat out the remaining blood in her mouth before getting and wiping away the crimson liquid drizzling down her mouth.

"Daijoubu, daijoubu." Michiko mumbled before taking out two scrolls and narrowing her eyes. "But _you _won't be."

Flipping them open, blue-eyed girl jumped into the air as the open scrolls spiraled around her.

"Soushouryu!" Michiko shouted as her fingertips brushed lightly against the scrolls making two kunais appear in a 'poof'.

Naoko's eyes widen as she grabbed hold of her wrapped fan as multiple weapons began raining down on her.

With a quick flick of her wrist, the red cloth flew off as the tomboy opened her fan and swung it forcing the weapons to drop to the ground with a 'clatter'.

'Hm. Let's see. Kunais, shurikens, nunchucks, daggers, knives, swords, katanas, and-Wow! Even an axe! Man, this girl's loaded!' Naoko exclaimed in her head as she stared at the fallen weapons wide-eyed.

'My gosh she's loaded!' Midori thought to herself as she continued to examine the battle.

"I'm not done yet!" Michiko shouted as she landed with her arms crossed in front of her.

Naoko narrowed her eyes a bit in confusion before she saw a glint around her as the weapons began to move.

"Ningyoushibai no Koutetsu!" The blue-eyed girl shouted as the weapons seemed to have come to life.

The tomboy looked around her as she tightened her grip on her giant fan. 'She's moving them. . . like puppets?!'

Suddenly, Michiko moved her right hand causing the weapons fly towards Naoko at rapid speed.

Jumping out of the way, Naoko turned her head to notice that more weapons were flying towards her.

'Tch. At this rate, I'm gonna get myself killed by these weapons!' Naoko thought as she growled a bit. 'Unless, I use _that_ move. Che. Mendokusai."

Michiko smirked a bit as she moved her hands making the weapons, all at once, fly towards the tomboy. "I win."

However, before the weapons had pierced through Naoko, the tomboy swung her giant fan and her body around in a 360 degree manner.

The moment Naoko turned, it seemed as if she was engulfed in a typhoon forcing all of the weapons to swirl around her instead of piercing through her flesh.

Michiko frowned a bit and tried to pull the weapons back but it only succeeded in making her stumble forward and lose her concentration thus breaking the chakra strings.

The typhoon gradually began to slow down, dropping the weapons to the ground, before Naoko landed softly on the ground, panting a bit.

---

Michiko growled a bit before glaring at the tomboy and pointing at her as anime veins appeared around her. "HEY, HEY! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!"

Naoko smirked a bit as she wiped away a trickle of sweat. "That was my very own technique. Taifuunome or 'Eye of a Typhoon'. I created it. Nice, isn't it?"

The anime veins around the brown haired girl seemed to have increased as she grumbled a bit while pouting. "Nice my ass."

Naoko smirked a bit before she stumbled. 'Che. I used up too much energy with that technique. Oh well. . .'

Turning slightly towards Midori, Naoko called out to the cat-eyed girl. "Oi! Midori-chan!"

"Hm? Nan dai, Naoko-chan?" Midori asked giving her a confused look.

Naoko sighed a bit and put her hand up in submission. "I give up."

"EH?!?!" Everyone but Midori shouted in surprise and confusion.

"D-D-D-Demo!!!" Michiko started as she waved her arms around almost franticly. "We didn't finish our fight!!!"

"And why the heck are you just giving up?!" Leiko shouted, pissed off. "You could've beaten the runt's ass!!!"

Michiko gained an anime vein at that comment and glared at Leiko. "I am not a runt! And what'd you mean she could've beaten me?!"

"I mean that she could've beaten you! What are you? Deaf?!" Leiko retorted before the two engaged in a verbal argument.

Naoko sighed a bit and ran her hand through her hair. "Mendokusai. . ."

Midori sighed a bit before announcing, almost lazily. "By forfeit, Michiko-san wins!"

Michiko stopped arguing with Leiko at the announcement and sighed disappointed but said nothing and decided to sulk under a tree.

Shun was still staring, with his lower jaw dropped, in shock before Kuroi snapped him out of it when he pushed his lower jaw up and said, "Keep it like that and you'll be eating flies."

The tomboy sighed once more before sitting down under a tree. "I guess I'll referee for your match then, Midori-chan?"

Midori smiled a bit and nodded as she took her place on the arena.

Kuroi did the same on the other side, although noticeably more tense.

"Ready?" Naoko asked with half-lidded eyes.

Both shinobis nodded as they took their designated fighting positions.

_"BEGIN!"_

---

Kuroi, still at a fighting stance, watched for Midori to make a move.

By doing so, Midori placed her hands together and formed the Ram-Serpent-Tiger handseals.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" She called out.

But before any of her clones can appear she reached into her leg pocket and took out a smokescreen bomb and threw it in front of her.

'What the...?!' Kuroi thought as he tried to search for a silhouette of his opponent.

Midori hastily left her clone in take of her place and retreated into a nearby tree.

'Hm, she's going to use that Genjutsu...' Naoko thought as she kept watch at the battle.

When the smoke finally cleared up, Kuroi took a chance and took out a few shurikens and threw it directly at 'Midori'.

The clone took out a kunai and blocked off the incoming weapons before throwing the kunai at Kuroi.

Kuroi acknowledged this and dodged it. There were also several shurkiens flying towards him, and he began to make handseals.

'Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog-Serpent. Kawarimi no Jutsu!'

The shurikens being thrown at him embedded themselves into Kuroi before he 'poofed' to reveal a log.

'Midori' looked around for Kuroi, when a voice was heard.

"Kyuuden!"

A sphere made of pure electricity shot from deep within the trees directly hitting 'Midori'.

However, Kuroi didn't expect that 'Midori' to be a clone.

The clone disappeared in a 'poof'.

Before anything else could happen, the real Kuroi was thrown onto Michiko while Midori was also thrown onto Naoko.

---

"Itai!" The two groaned as they sat up rubbing their heads as Michiko and Naoko were dazed on the floor.

"Dare? Dare desu ka?" Leiko questioned out loud looking around tensed.

Two 'poofs' appeared in the middle of the arena as everyone stood alert.

As the smokes cleared, Team 3 widened their eyes as their jaws seemed to have dropped to the floor.

"WATANABE-SENSEI?!?!"

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU, it's _Leneth_-sensei!" One of the two Shinobi exclaimed, clearly annoyed.

The three girls smiled awkwardly before straightening themselves up.

"W-what are you doing here Leneth-sensei?" Midori asked. "And you too, _Dante_-sensei?"

The Shinobi with short spiked black hair also wearing similar clothing as his sister, who was standing back to back with Leneth-sensei, looked at Midori before smiling.

"Well, your mother went to another mission with the other ANBU squads and she told me to give you this box of onigiri." Leneth explained.

Leneth walked up to the Genin, and handed Midori a box of onigiri.

'**Another** mission? It's the third time this week!' Midori thought as she took hold of the tan colored lunch box and examined it.

After Leneth gave the box to Midori, she looked at the other Genin and grinned.

"As for Dante-niisan, he couldn't find his team." Leneth said, placing her hands on her hips, "But a group of villagers said that some overly loud child was yelling, 'TO THE TRAINING GROUNDS THEN!' And we just so happen to think that we would find you two teams here."

Leiko looked around nervously before blushing a light tint of pink.

"Watanabe Dante?" Michiko spoke up, still holding on to a unbalanced Kuroi.

The male Shinobi walked over to Teams before smiling once again.

"You're Watanabe Dante?" Michiko asked once more.

"Yup, that's me." He said, still smiling. "It's finally nice to meet you, Michiko."

"Eh?! How do you know my name?" Michiko exclaimed, "Are you some stalker?! And why were you so slow in trying to find us?"

"Michiko-Dobe..." Shun whispered harshly, mentally slapping himself for his comrade's stupid questions.

Dante's smile turned into a smirk, "To answer all your questions; no I am not a stalker, I happen to be your Sensei that has the right to know my own students, and it took me a while to meet up with you guys since Raikage-Sama wanted to see me."

"Feh..." Michiko whispered, before crossing her arms.

"And you must be Raikou Kuroi, and Uchiha Shun, am I correct?" Dante asked, pointing to the Genin.

The two Genin both nodded before standing next to Michiko.

It has been over an hour since the two teams sparred and Naoko and Midori's stomachs started to growl.

Clenching her stomach, Midori let out a nervous laugh, "Do you think we can take a break and have some onigiri? We haven't eaten yet."

'Nani?! They haven't even eaten yet and they almost killed Michiko-san and Shun-kun?!' Kuroi thought wide-eyed as he looked at Team 3 and their sensei.

"Alright, let's go eat then." Leneth said, motioning the teams to sit down in a shady area.

---

"These are so delicious!" Leneth said as she took another bite of a salmon filled onigiri. "Midori, your mom is the best cook!"

Midori laughed, "Actually I just realized that Mamuro-niichan made it."

"Eh?! Really? I never knew Mamuro-san made onigiri as good as this!" Leneth exclaimed, savoring the taste of her snack.

"Yeah me neither, but when our mom kept on going for missions, Mamuro-niichan would make food for me and himself." Midori said.

The two teams and their sensei's were lazily lying on the soft grass, gazing up at the clouds whilst enjoying their snacks, just letting everything slip away.

Before they could enjoy themselves any further, Dante sat up and turned to his new squad.

"Alright, your training commences tomorrow and the real test begins. Meet me at the bridge tomorrow morning at nine sharp. No later no less."

"NANI?! Training already?" Michiko asked, surprised.

Her fellow teammates were a bit shocked as well.

"Well of course, we don't want to be behind the other squads!" Dante said smiling, before lying back down on the soft grass and taking a bite out of his onigiri.

Naoko, who was watching silently, let out an amused 'Hm. . .' before gazing up at the cloud and narrowing her eyes.

Naoko then stood up and began walking in the direction back to the complexes, making everyone look at her confused.

"Oro? Naoko-chan? Where are you going?" Midori asked.

Stopping, Naoko glanced at Midori for a moment before staring at the sky again. "Home. Got things to do."

Midori blinked and nodded before she began to pack everything up once she saw that they were done. "In that case, I should start going too."

"Remember, nine A.M. tomorrow!" Dante reminded. "Michiko, Shun, Kuroi."

"Same here, I'll meet you guys tomorrow! Naoko, Midori, Leiko." Leneth said, standing next to her brother.

"Ja ne minna-san!" Leneth and Dante said in unison before they both 'poofed' away in thick smoke.

Everyone else nodded before going their separate ways.

* * *

**Chapter 4 Special: White Messages

* * *

**

While walking home, Naoko sighed a bit and ran her fingers through her hair, an old habit of hers that she did whenever she felt annoyed or stressed out.

'Tch. Baka Aniki. What the hell did you do _this_ time?' The tomboy thought annoyed as she replayed back the message he gave her.

---

_Naoko, who was watching silently, let out an amused 'Hm...' before gazing up at the clouds and narrowing her eyes._

_The shape of the white clouds had begun to change shapes to reveal various symbols but Naoko knew better than to let it pass by as a trick of the sunlight._

_Rereading the symbols over a few times, Naoko sighed inwardly as she realized what the symbols meant._

_**Imouto-chan. Home. Now.**_

---

Letting her hand drop to her side, the tomboy sighed once more before she began to reminisce.

---

_"Why do I have to learn this?" An eight year old Naoko asked glaring at the puffy clouds that seemed to taunt her._

_A man in his early thirties sighed a bit before ruffling the tomboy's boy-cut hair. "Because, Naoko-chan, one day this ability will help you."_

_"But how?" The young girl inquired pouting a bit. "How does changing the shape of clouds help me?" _

_Smiling softly, the man sat down on the green grass next to the girl. "Why don't you take a seat, chi-chan? Then I'll tell you."_

_Naoko blinked a bit before puffing out her cheeks and sitting down. "Hey! Don't call me that! I'm not little!"_

_The man chuckled a bit before turning his gaze to the sky. "Demo chi-chan. You are still young and a child."_

_The tomboy crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue but didn't argue. "So when are you going to tell me?"_

_"Saa..." The man mused out loud while smiling but did not answer the curious girl._

_Naoko grumbled some nonsense under her breath knowing that he was trying to get her annoyed._

_The man chuckled softly once more before beginning to speak. "Tell me Naoko-Chan. Do you remember the famous legend passed down by this clan?"_

_Naoko blinked a bit before nodding. "Uh huh. The **Dawn of Wings**. Okaa-san used to always tell me that story."_

_"Well then, do you remember how it goes?" The man asked, turning his head to the young girl._

_Naoko furrowed her eyebrows in deep thought but drew up a blank while doing so._

_"Try not to think so hard, chi-chan. You might hurt yourself." The man teased gently making the young tomboy glare at him._

_"I'm not like that baka cousin of mine." Naoko retorted before sighing and closing her eyes._

_The man smiled a bit at the girl in deep thought. "Well?"_

_Naoko didn't reply for a moment before she began, almost hypnotically, reciting her mother's words._

_**"A long time ago, when the world was just created and bare, there were many great gods and goddesses.**_

_**These great entities, with their pure powers, decided to create beings lesser than them but still with great powers.**_

_**For a while, both the higher and the lower classes were at peace and lived happily but that began to change.**_

_**After a while, the lesser beings, jealous of their creators' powers, decided to also create beings weaker than themselves.**_

_**Each generation of beings that were created lesser than the last were jealous of their creators and had created those weaker than themselves.**_

_**Along the way, the pure blood and chakra of these celestial beings began to diminish slowly because of the negative energy of Envy and Greed.**_

_**The first beings, the most powerful ones, saw that the ones below them were going out of control and because of this; the great entities took the lessers' powers away.**_

_**The lessers' pleaded with the mighty one's to give them back the power and gift that was bestowed upon them.**_

_**The first beings denied the request and would not hear of the pleas.**_

_**The lessers' were infuriated and decided to group together to destroy the greaters'.**_

_**However, despite their great numbers, the lessers' tried and failed in their attempt.**_

_**The first beings, furious at the fact that they rebelled, destroyed their physical beings but are unable to touch their core.**_

_**This core is their very essence and their very soul.**_

_**Thus the vengeful spirits of the lessers' would not rest and would forever wander Terra.**_

_**Seeing that these vengeful spirits would not rest, the greater beings decided to create new beings.**_

_**These beings did not have much and could be good, evil, both, or neutral.**_

_**However, the entities made it so that these beings could have great potential in becoming as strong as the gods and goddesses themselves.**_

_**The gods and goddesses decided to strike a deal and told the vengeful souls,**_

_**'If you wish to live once more and strive to be as strong as we, entities, are then we shall grant you that wish.'**_

_**This had perked the vengeful soul's interest as they listened intently.**_

_**'We shall split your soul, your very essence, into many pieces and infuse them into these beings' bodies.**_

_**This shall allow you to become a part of many and with that, the powers that we have taken away from you, shall return but not in all.**_

_**Only those born that reach a certain requirement shall receive these power but do not fret.**_

_**Those who do meet these requirements shall have that power and you, who are infused, shall feel it.'**_

_**The souls' whose greed had overcome them, accepted this deal but little did they know that infusing their souls with a body will cause that soul to move on.**_

_**This is because the soul cannot fuse with a different body and will be rejected into Oblivion.**_

_**The souls', once in Oblivion, will be reabsorbed into the greater entities powers but the entities did keep their promise.**_

_**The new beings did gain the spirits' powers and thus, this is why some of us, humans, were born weak and strong.**_

_**This is also why some of us, humans, had created clans and developed kekkei genkai or bloodline limits.**_

_**But that is not all, the greater entities, afraid that we may one day go out of control, also decided to become guardians of our clans."**_

_The man smiled a bit and nodded before he asked, "And do you know who the guardian of the Tsubasa clan is?"_

_Naoko opened her honey-brown eyes and nodded a bit. "Yeah. Suzaku the Phoenix, right?"_

_The man nodded again, "Correct. And as you know, according to the clan's legend, everyone is said to have been born by the gods and goddesses."_

_"Heh. That must've hurt." Naoko said snickering a bit, referring to the fact that the few gods and goddesses gave birth to millions, or perhaps, billions of humans._

_-BONK-_

_"Itai! What was that for?!" Naoko shouted before nursing her bumps._

_The man, whose face was slightly flushed, gained an anime vein. "And you say that you're not like your cousin."_

_The young tomboy blushed faintly before she pouted a bit, "It's not my fault that he drags me around with him everywhere!"_

_The man sighed a bit as his blush faded. "No matter. Now getting back to the topic... And-"_

_"-And that is how everyone gained their chakra and/or kekkei genkai, yadda yadda yadda. Let's move on and answer my question already!" Naoko said cutting the man off before shouting at the end._

_The man sweatdropped a bit before sighing. "Yes. Well..."_

_Naoko gave him a look as she crossed her arms. "Well...? What did the legend have to do with my question?"_

_The man smiled innocently at the tomboy as he delayed answering, "Well... It had..."_

_Naoko leaned forward a bit, curiously. "It had...?"_

_The man's smile turned into a small smirk. "Absolutely..."_

_"Absolutely...?" Naoko repeated while thinking, 'Hurry the fudge sticks up already!'_

_The man's smirk turned into a huge goofy grin. "NOTHING!"_

_-THUD-_

_Naoko had done an anime fall at the answer before getting up and pointing her index finger at him annoyed, "YOU! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"_

_The man gave her an innocent look. "Did what on purpose?"_

_"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!" The tomboy shouted as she gained an anime vein._

_"Ah! But that's the problem. I don't know what you mean." The man said as his eyes seemed to dance with laughter._

_"I MEANT PROLONGING THE ENTIRE THING!" Naoko exclaimed as more anime veins appeared._

_"What thing?" The man questioned though he looked like he was trying to hold back a grin._

_"YOU-YOU-YOU-ARGH!!!" Naoko yelled out of annoyance as she fell onto her bottom pouting._

_The man chuckled a bit before deciding that enough was enough. "Okay, okay. I'll tell you now."_

_Naoko gave him a short glance but returned to pouting while thinking, 'Evil...'_

_The man sighed a bit before picking her up and placing her onto his lap while petting her head. "Saa... Gomen nasai, chi-chan. Can you forgive me?"_

_The tomboy glared at him before turning away. "Tell me first and then I'll see."_

_The man rolled his eyes before poking her in the side making Naoko fidget nervously._

_Grinning a bit, the man poked Naoko in the side again and continued to do so until..._

_"OKAY, OKAY! I FORGIVE YOU! HAPPY?" The tomboy shouted as she squirmed away and out of the man's grip._

_"Yeah, I'm happy." The man said as Naoko glared at him while rubbing her side and mumbling something along the lines of 'evil person' and 'freakishly long nails'._

_The man pouted a bit at the last comment but Naoko stuck her tongue out at him before asking, "Well, aren't you going to answer me now?"_

_"Maybe I shouldn't." The man replied. "After all, that last comment really hurt."_

_Naoko's jaw seemed to have dropped before she fell onto her back. "I give up!"_

_The man laughed softly before gazing at the sky. "Although it's true that the legend had nothing to do with that..."_

_Naoko sighed annoyed but said nothing as she closed her eyes and listened to the male._

_"But I did want to see if you memorized it since the legend will never be written down unless the Elders mysteriously decided to."_

_The tomboy opened her eyes and gave the man a curious look before it turned into annoyance. "Okay. So I memorized it. **Now** can you answer my question?"_

_The man raised an eyebrow, "Oh? You still want an answer?"_

_Naoko nodded as she sat up with her hands on her ankles._

_The man sighed a bit. "Alright then since you won't let it drop and go train..."_

_'Damn straight I won't!' Naoko thought bitterly before adding in, "And can you tell me anything else about the kekkei genkai of the Tsubasa clan?"_

_"Maybe. Now anyways..." The man started after he rolled his eyes and smiled a bit. "Changing the shape of the clouds..."_

_He said as he gazed up at the white clouds floating aimlessly around the azul sky. "Allows communication among our clan."_

_"Communication?" Naoko inquired tilting her head slightly to the side. "But can't we just talk to each other?"_

_The man chuckled a bit. "That is true, but think of it this way. What if some clan members were taken hostage? Talking amongst each other to devise a plan would get you killed."_

_"That's true... I guess..." Naoko mumbled as she reflected on what the man said. "So I guess it's like a secret code... thing."_

_The man laughed softly before ruffling Naoko's short hair again. "Yes, I suppose that it's something like that. Now come along, chi-chan. Back to training."_

_Naoko scowled a bit before getting up as the man began walking off when she realized something._

_"Oi! Get back here! You didn't tell me anything else about the clan!"_

_The man laughed a bit before running off. "If you want to find out then you have to catch me!"_

_"NANI?!" Naoko gained an anime vein before giving chase while shouting, "Oi! Chotto matte yo! **Otou-san!**"_

---

The thirteen year old tomboy laughed softly under her breath as she remembered that day.

'Baka Oyaji...' Naoko thought, running her fingers through her hair once more as she gazed up at the sky. 'But even so... I do miss you... Father...'

The tomboy was soon snapped out of her reverie, however, when she heard a familiar voice call her. "Imouto-chan!"

"Oro?" Naoko blinked a bit before she questioned out loud, "Aniki-san?"

An eighteen year old male was standing on the other side of the gate and inside the clan land while waving to her.

Naoko blinked a bit before smiling and waving back as she reached the metal gate that surrounded the large area.

The male suddenly disappeared in a whirl of wind and reappeared in one of the guard posts before the gate opened.

The tomboy walked inside before the male jumped down in front of her and glomped her. "Konnichiwa, Naoko-chan!"

"K-Konnichiwa, Kiyoshi-nii." Naoko greeted a bit surprised by the glomp and a bit embarrassed at the way the male was acting.

"Well, it's about time you're here!" Kiyoshi exclaimed as he gave a bright smile before dragging her towards the way of their house.

"Ara? O-Oi! C-Chotto matte yo!" Naoko shouted surprised as she stumbled a bit when her older brother pulled her along.

However, the long jet-black haired male didn't bothered stopping as he began to push the girl into their house when they arrived at the front door.

Kiyoshi closed the door softly before-

-BONK-

"I-Itai... Mou... What was that for, Imouto-chan-?" The male exclaimed rubbing his bump as he cried anime tears.

Naoko had several throbbing anime veins around her, "_That_, dear brother, was for dragging me and ignoring me!"

"Wah! Gomen nasai!" Kiyoshi apologized as he turned chibi and glomped the tomboy while still anime crying. "Please forgive me!!!"

Naoko sweatdropped and anime sighed as she thought, 'Yeesh. I'm starting to doubt that he's older than me...'

Looking at the chibi-fied Kiyoshi, Naoko faltered a bit at Kiyoshi's perfected puppy-pout as she sighed. "Okay, okay. I forgive you."

However, before the male could exclaim 'Yatta' or much less celebrate, he was thrown off as Naoko shouted. "NOW GET OFF!"

-BAM-

-THUD-

The tomboy, tired of all of the glomping and crying, had kicked the chibi-fied male off of her and towards the wall.

Needless to say, Kiyoshi had hit the wall pretty hard since he slumped to the ground upside-down as anime swirls took place of his eyes.

Naoko sighed a bit as she rubbed her right temple, "Mataku..."

Shaking his head vigorously, Kiyoshi stood up (no longer chibi-fied) and stuck his tongue out at the girl. "Mou... You're really mean, Imouto-chan-!"

The tomboy's right eye twitched from annoyance, "Don't stretch 'Imouto-chan' out like that."

Kiyoshi gave a sly grin making Naoko sweatdrop. "Iiiiimooouutooo-chaaaaan!!!"

The tomboy smacked her forehead with her palm before she grumbled some not-very-pleasant comments under her breath.

The male was now bouncing around Naoko, shouting 'Imouto-chan' over and over again in a sing-song tone.

Anime veins appeared around the very frustrated girl but before she could scold the male a strange odor waft through the hallway.

Naoko's nose twitched slightly before she covered the lower part of her face with her gloved hand. "Nani-? What's that smell?"

Kiyoshi blinked a bit before his nose also twitched from the smell as he put on a thinking face.

Suddenly, the two looked at each other with wide-eyes before dashing towards the direction of the smell.

---

"Bakayarou." Naoko said bluntly as she threw away a charred and black plate. 'I can't believe he sent me that message just for this...'

"Wah! Gomen nasai!" Kiyoshi apologized as he hugged Naoko around her shoulders while crying anime tears.

The tomboy was silent as she opened up the windows in the kitchen and allowed the black smoke to escape. 'Geez Louise. What a troublesome brother I have...'

When there was no reply, a depressed aura appeared around Kiyoshi as slumped down leaning on the wall. 'She's really mad at me...'

"Naoko-chan..." The male mumbled, slightly biting his lower lip. "Gomen nasai..."

Naoko stopped what she was doing and turned to the male with her bangs shadowing her eyes.

Kiyoshi bowed his head feeling down-hearted when he heard Naoko sigh before a flick on the forehead caused the male to look up surprised.

"Heiki, daijoubu..." The tomboy said softly as she placed her gloved hand on his head.

"Honto ni?" The male asked tilting his head to the side, blinking innocently.

"Honto ni." Naoko confirmed smiling before Kiyoshi pulled her down and embraced her in a warm hug.

"Arigatou, Imouto-chan. Arigatou..." 'I'm glad... she's not mad...'

Naoko closed her eyes and leaned her chin on his head softly, "Dou itashimashite... Demo..."

Kiyoshi blinked a bit and tilted his head in confusion before the two let go of each other. "Oro? Nan dai?"

Naoko poked his forehead and got up before she began to take out ingredients for their dinner.

"Oro? Eh? Nani?" Kiyoshi asked still confused as he got up as well. "What's with the 'demo'? Naoko-chan?"

The tomboy washed her hands before drying them on a white towel and turning to the male.

"Nanimono." Naoko said smirking a bit.

"Oro? Mou... Imouto-chan-!" Kiyoshi whined as he tugged on the bottom of the tomboy's outfit. "Tell me!"

Naoko raised an eyebrow. "You really want to know?"

"Hai-!" Kiyoshi chirped nodding while smiling happily.

"Demo..." The tomboy started with a faint smile on her face.

"Demo...?" Kiyoshi echoed leaning on the counter a bit.

Naoko tapped her chin a bit, deep in thought, before flicking Kiyoshi on the forehead again and dashing off while yelling over her shoulder,

"But I still can't believe you made all of that mess while trying to make scrambled eggs!"

Kiyoshi blinked a bit before he gained several anime veins and chased after the tomboy. "NANI?! OI!!! GET BACK HERE!!!"

"NEVER!!! MUAHAHAHA!!!"

"NAOKO TSUBASA, GET YOUR CHIBI-SELF OVER HERE!!!"

"I'M NOT CHIBI, YOU OVERGROWN APE!!!"

"WHAT D'YOU CALL ME?! I AM NOT AN OVERGROWN APE!!!"

"ARE TOO!!!"

"AM NOT!!!"

And thus, the day ends in its normal way for the Tsubasa siblings.

Which happens to be with Kiyoshi chasing Naoko all over the house while the two exchanged friendly verbal insults?

* * *

**Jounin Biography:

* * *

**

_- **Watanabe Dante** _

Unlike his twin sister Leneth, Dante is much more outgoing, has tripled the amount of chakra, and is different in appearance. He can be overprotective over the ones he cares about and may be a bit of a pervert here and there, but he has a heart of gold. He's also a nineteen year old Kumogakure Jounin, just like Leneth. Standing at 5'10", Dante has slightly spiked short jet black hair and blue-hazel eyes. He wears a dark long sleeved shirt with his clan symbol on the back, his left sleeve rolled up above his elbow, a short sleeved fish-netted shirt and dark pants. He has an arm bandage around his upper left arm and wears black heelless ninja sandals. Dante wears his hitai-ate around his right arm.

* * *

**A/N:** Yay, a long chapter for you guys! Thanks CheshireMax & Wolf-demon13 for reviewing, we're glad you enjoy the story. We'll be working on Chapter 5, so until then, and thanks for reading!

-Naoko-Miharu (:

_**Translations: **_

**Baka **- Idiot, Moron, Fool

**Aniki** - Big Brother

**Imouto** - Little Sister

**-chan** - Suffix for children, girls, young boys, and close friends

**Chi-chan **- Little One

**Demo** - But

**Saa** - No real meaning. Probably just a laid-back expression.

**Kekkei Genkai **- Bloodline Limit

**Chakra** - Spirit Energy and Physical Energy combined for jutsus.

**Gomen nasai** - I'm very sorry.

**Nani?! **- What?!

**Oi!** - Hey!

**Chotto matte yo! **- Wait a minute!

**Otou-san** - Father, Dad

**Oyaji** - Old Man (Also referred to as Dad)

**Oro** - No real meaning. Taken from Himura Kenshin so don't think I created that word.

**Konnichiwa** - Hello, Good Afternoon

**Kiyoshi-nii** - Brother Kiyoshi

**Ara?** - Huh?

**Itai** - Ow

**Mou** - Expression of frustration, etc.

**Yatta! **- Yay!

**Chibi **- Small

**Mataku** - Geez

**Heiki** - Don't worry.

**Daijoubu** - It's alright.

**Honto ni(?) **- Really(?)

**Arigatou** - Thank you

**Dou Itashimashite** - You're welcome

**Nan dai?** - What is it?

**Nanimono** - Nothing

**Hai!** - Yes!


	5. Kokuyo Seki Meian no Jutsu

**_Disclaimer:_ **We don't own Naruto.  
The other characters however belong to us, Naoko & Miharu.

(---) - means a small time skip.  
_Italics_ – Flashback  
**_Italics with Bold_** – Past communication

* * *

**Chapter 5 Special: Hoshikorosu – The Star to Kill

* * *

**

On her way home, the green-tinted black haired Kunoichi sauntered casually with her hands in her pockets and enjoying the nice summer breeze.

'I wonder what's the training going to be about tomorrow.' She thought as she looked at one of the clocks in a nearby store which read '4:21 P.M.'

Looking back at the road, Midori never noticed a person in front of her.

-CRASH-

The cat eyed Kunoichi and the said person fell backwards on their rears.

"Itai…" Midori mumbled, rubbing her backside and wincing.

The person quickly stood up and sighed.

"Mataku Neko-Nee-Chan, you should be more careful." The person said in a deep yet soothing voice but was mostly a jokingly-worried one.

Recognizing the voice instantly, Midori grimaced at the nickname and stood up.

"_Mamuro_, I told you _not_ to call me that." Midori said straightening her tank tops and her hair.

Mamuro, as the person was called, chuckled softly before he reached out and stroked her hair as if she were a cat.

"Honestly Mamuro-Nii, I'm _not_ a cat! So stop treating me as if I was one." Midori said, still grimacing and narrowing her eyes at the hand that 'petted' her, "I'm a_ human_."

Mamuro lifted his hand off of Midori's head and smiled, his tiger-like shaped pupils were swimming in a pool of blue-yellow irises which looked fierce during eye contact and his shoulder-length sea-green-tinted jet black hair that fell over his shoulders seemed to have shined. He was taller than Midori by about eight inches and wore a dark blue male kimono with his hitai-ate around his forehead.

"Neh, aren't you supposed to be with Okaa-San?" The Kunoichi asked, tilting her eyebrow at her older brother.

Mamuro crossed his arms and titled his head, "Nah, I decided to stay since no one's going to be home to take care of you."

Midori mouthed an obvious 'oh' before scratching her head.

"So… what were you doing _here_?" Midori asked, breaking the awkward silence that was forming around them.

"I was just running some errands for Raikage-Sama." Mamuro said casually.

"I see." Midori whispered before starting to walk back home, "Uh, I'll see you later then?"

Mamuro nodded before heading to the village centre, "Ja ne."

Midori smiled back at her brother before continuing her walk back home.

---

A couple of minutes after crashing into Mamuro, the young Kunoichi entered a small cozy apartment-like condo, her backside still hurting.

She took off her sandals and placed them in a pile of other shoes and sandals and walked up the newly waxed staircase to her room.

"I've got a couple of hours to kill before Mamuro comes back with dinner." Midori said to herself as she entered her room and flicked on the light, "I guess I'll go practice my Taijutsu in an hour or so."

Midori's room was fairly plain with a twin sized bed on one corner of the room with a large window next to it with a tan colored nightstand placed vertically in front of the window, a large bookshelf and a desk on the opposite side of the bed, a walk-in closet and a large crate where she placed her ninja equipment into.

Plopping down on her soft bed, she thought about that young Genin, Uchiha Shun.

"Where have I heard that last name before?" Midori asked herself, "U-chi-ha…"

After a moments of thought, she finally got her answer and smiled.

"I remember now… Okaa-San used to tell me when I was young…"

---

"_Haha, can you tell me a story?" A young seven year old Midori asked._

_A woman around the age of twenty-eight with yellow-orange tinted dark brown hair and jade green tiger-like eyes smiled and placed a pile of laundry down on a wooden table._

"_Alright Midori." She said, placing her hands onto the sides of her hips._

_The two were outside in the backyard, the spring flowers were blooming prettily and they mingled with the soft colored grass below them._

"_Can you tell me about the family?!" The eager Midori asked, sitting down cross-legged on the grass._

"_The family? What about them?" The woman asked as she also sat down next to her daughter._

"_Like… how the clan got started! We're learning about that in the Academy." Midori explained._

"_Ah, you're learning about the Kekkei Genkai?" The mid-aged woman asked._

"_Hai!" Midori chirped._

_The woman laughed before lying down and closing her eyes._

"_Well it began a long time ago, fourteen generations to be exact, that our ancestor Iwate Kaede ran away from her family to a new village called Konohagakure."_

"_Why did she run away?" Midori asked, changing her position so she was lying down as well._

"_Well, because no one really cared for her, she was always ignored and was always being mistreated by everyone, so she moved to Konohagakure." She explained._

"_Oh…" Midori whispered as she her gaze focused to a cloud, "What happened? Did her family come get her?"_

_Her mother sighed a bit before continuing, "No, they didn't come and get her. But she started a new life in the new village. She attended the school with the help of the Hokage and graduated at age nine."_

"_Nine?! Wow… so she ran away when she was…"_

"_Seven. She ran away when she was seven, and in two years she was able to become a Genin and at age twelve she became a Chuunin." Her mother answered for her._

_Midori's eyes widened as she turned her head towards her mother._

"_Nani? Really?" The young Genin-in-training asked._

"_Yes, really." Her mother said, "Don't worry Midori you'll be a great Kunoichi. Otou-san, Mamuro, and even I are sure of it."_

_Midori nodded before asking her mother to continue the story._

"_So when she finally made enough money from the missions she's been completing, she got a larger house to live in."_

"_And a couple of years later, Kaede became part of the ANBU at age sixteen and was sent on a mission to Sunagakure, and on the way there she met a man named Hyuuga Seiji."_

_**A young girl with long yellow-green tinted black hair wearing the usual ANBU wardrobe and a wolf mask was catching up to her squad when…**_

_**-CRASH!-**_

"**_I-Itai…" The teen mumbled, rubbing her backside and slowly regaining her footing. When she got up she realized she had crashed into a man who looked no older than seventeen with dark chocolate brown hair._**

"**_Ah! Gomen nasai, let me help you up." She exclaimed, before extending her hand to help up the person she had knocked down._**

_**The person looked up into her eyes and Kaede gasped. He had no sign of any pupils, just a milky ivory pool of irises which made the fellow ANBU look at them with awe. He also extended his hand but instead of getting picked up, he pulled the ANBU member down.**_

"**_Itai! Mataku! What was that for?!" She exclaimed through her mask as she rubbed her backside again. Her temper was rising and if she could, she would have taken her katana out of her back and sliced the man into pieces. But being an ANBU member and all, she couldn't do it._**

"**_You know I'm not too fond of ANBU members." He said dully with a hint of hatred._**

"**_Well good for you…" She snapped before thinking to herself that he never gave his name._**

"**_It's Hyuuga Seiji." He answered._**

_**Before she got a chance to start talking, a voice rang out through the forest they were currently in.**_

"**_Kaede! The Kazekage will not wait for you dilly-dallying!" A sharp male voice exclaimed._**

_**Kaede sighed before turned back to Seiji, "Seiji-San was it? …About the ANBU, you should get to know them more." **_

_**The two got up and glared at each other before Kaede spoke up once more, "Well Seiji-San, you ought to go back to Konoha. Wouldn't want the missing-nins to come." She joked.**_

"**_Kaede! Hurry up!" The male voice exclaimed once more._**

"**_Chotto matte Captian!" The ANBU member shouted._**

"**_Hm, whatever, and you should get to know the Hyuuga's a bit more too Kaede." Seiji said, deepening his tone when he said her name._**

_**Kaede slightly blushed underneath her mask and watched as the Hyuuga walked back to the village.**_

_**In a couple of minutes she caught up with her squad and her yelling Captain.**_

"_The Hyuuga Clan has the Byakugan right?" Midori asked._

_Her mother nodded before placing an arm behind her head._

"_Then...? What happen?" The young girl asked, flipping her position so she was lying on her stomach._

"_Then, when Kaede got back from the mission a couple of weeks later, she saw Seiji again and they began to argue… again. But a couple of days later they began to go out and in a couple of years they wanted their relationship taken to the next level. But as the Hyuuga Clan, they forbid Seiji to marry Kaede."_

"_Because the Kekkei Genkai might be disrupted?" Midori asked._

"_Hai."_

"**_I forbid this Seiji! What do you think you're trying to do? Reveal our secret to this woman? We won't let you." The Elder Hyuuga exclaimed._**

"**_Demo, she means everything to me and I learn so much from her! Why can't you accept that Elder?!" Seiji retorted._**

"**_Because disrupting the Byakugan will ruin the Hyuuga Clan as it is."_**

"**_But that's not fair, you know I wouldn't do such a thing, but why can you make—"_**

"**_Enough! I do not wish to listen to any more nonsense, return to the council room Seiji." The Elder said sternly and angrily._**

_**Seiji merely nodded and left the room.**_

"_Did they get married?" Midori asked while fiddling with her fingers._

"_Hai, they did and ran away right after." Said her mother._

"**_Seiji, I don't want to put you through this. Your family is more important than me." Kaede whispered._**

"**_Don't you dare say that Kaede. Watashi-wa anata-o aishtemasu…" Seiji whispered harshly, "I would do anything for you, so stop worrying about me so much."_**

_**The moonlight pouring into the bedroom window highlighted Kaede's face. A sliver of tears were about to spill out of her yellow-gray eyes.**_

"**_Let's run away… away from here." Seiji whispered as he held onto Kaede's hands. He lowered his head, making his dark chocolate brown hair shadow his face._**

"**_Where? Where are we going to go Seiji?" Kaede asked._**

"_Where did they go?" Midori asked._

"_Where do you think Midori-Chan?"_

"_Ano…" Midori thought for a moment before her mother chuckled._

"_Here in Kumogakure of course!" She exclaimed._

_Midori mouthed a long 'Ohhh' before smiling awkwardly._

"_Then what happened? Did they have kids?" Midori asked._

"_How bold of you to ask that Midori." Her mother stated questionably before smiling._

"_Hai. They had two children, a boy named Shinji and a girl named Shinju."_

"_Heehee, only a syllable short." Midori grinned before turning on her side._

_Her mother smiled and placed a hand on her head and petted it as if it were a cat._

_Midori grimaced at the petting but ignored it after a while._

"_Did they get the Byakugan?" She asked._

_Her mother nodded, "Yup, they both luckily got the Byakugan."_

"**_Seiji… can this be real? We've brought two lives into this world."_**

"**_It's real alright." Seiji said before holding onto his newborn son and daughter, while sitting next to his wife on the hospital bed._**

"**_It'll be a start of a new clan." He said, making Kaede look at him with disbelief._**

"**_A n-new clan?" Kaede stuttered, obviously shocked by her husband's words._**

"**_Hai, a new clan! My family doesn't matter to me anymore…" Seiji said, continuing to look at his two children with the same milky ivory pupil-less colored eyes._**

"_So, living in Kumogakure, Shinji and Shinju both learned at the Academy, the same one you're attending and graduated at age twelve, became Jounin at age twenty and became ANBU at age twenty two."_

"_And on one their missions, their lives changed forever. Shinji and Shinju were assigned to rescue two members of the Uchiha clan in Kirigakure. This part of the Uchiha clan, originally in Konohagakure, broke off and moved to Kumogakure. So when their mission was complete, the two Uchiha's ironically fell in love with Shinji and Shinju and they decided to tie the knot a couple years later."_

"_Did they run away again?" Midori asked._

"_Ha-ha, no they didn't. This part of the Uchiha Clan actually let them get married."_

"_Nani? Really?! That's good." Midori said, smiling._

_Her mother smiled back at her as she continued._

"_They had two children but they didn't have the Byakugan…" Her mother began but was cut off by Midori._

"_They had the Sharingan!" She said cheerfully._

"_Hm nope. They didn't have either the Sharingan or the Byakugan."_

"_Nani?! What do you mean Okaa-san?"_

"_They had something else…"_

"_Ara? What did they have?" Midori asked, sitting up and looking at her mother._

"_Hoshikorosu." She simply said._

"_Hoshi…korosu?" Midori mimicked in a confused tone._

"_Hai, **our** Kekkei Genkai. The mixture of the Hyuuga, Uchiha, and Iwate blood created this doujutsu that we have, Hoshikorosu."_

"_Really? Then does that mean we're part of the Hyuuga and Uchiha Clan?! And that Mamuro-Nii and I have the Hoshikorosu?!" Midori exclaimed, her eyes wide._

_Her mother sat up and smiled, "We're not really part of their clan, we just have some of their blood in us, and yes, you and Mamuro have this Kekkei Genkai. But promise me one thing, that you will never use this against a Hyuuga or a Uchiha…especially a Uchiha alright?" _

_Midori looked at her mother confused but nodded nevertheless._

"_So was this a good story?" She asked._

_Midori grinned before nodding her head and standing up._

"_Hai! Arigatou Okaa-san."_

"_Hn, now run along and ask Mamuro to help you with shuriken practice, ne?" She asked, getting up as well and returning to her non-dried laundry._

_---_

"Hoshikorosu… I haven't even activated the second stage of this thing yet." Midori whispered as her thoughts ended and she sat up on her bed.

"Jeez, I've been daydreaming for almost an hour… Taijutsu training time!" The Kunoichi said to herself as she grabbed a new pair of combat gloves, took current ones off and slipped the new ones on.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Kokuyo-Seki Meian no Jutsu

* * *

**

The next morning came faster than anyone could say, 'Ganbatte yo' as the sun's rays made way through the clouds and poured into the homes of our fellow Genin.

-BEEP BEEP BEEP BE-THUMP-

Several alarm clocks rang loudly before they were abruptly cut off as the Genin got up and ready for the training that awaited them at nine A.M. sharp.

Minutes passed before Michiko, Uchiha Shun, and Raikou Kuroi of Team 5 arrived at the bridge near the village center and waited for their Sensei to arrive.

---

Glancing at one of the clocks at a nearby store, Michiko sighed as she leaned on the metal bars bordering the rock structured bridge.

"I think we're a bit early." She said looking at her teammates who looked like they had been in a terrible monsoon, "After all, he did say to meet us at exactly nine."

"Would you stop worrying so much, Michiko-Dobe? He won't yell at us if we're early." Shun said annoyed as he tried to ignore the girl.

"Oi! I'm _not_ a dobe, teme!" Michiko exclaimed, glaring at her raven-haired teammate as she clenched her hands into fists.

Shun was about to sarcastically retort back to the girl but was cut off by an annoyed Kuroi.

"Quit it you guys. It's too early in the morning to be fighting." The duo-colored hair boy grumbled, "Besides, Dante-Sensei should be coming soon, okay?"

The other two nodded and stayed silent until they saw a group of familiar girls jump down from a nearby tree.

"Oro? Midori-sempai? You're meeting here as well?" Michiko questioned outloud blinking as anime question marks appeared around her.

"Hai and Ohayou to you too!" The green tinted-black haired girl exclaimed as she regained her balance and stood up.

The two other Kunoichi merely nodded in acknowledgement at Team 5 as they stood up as well and walked over to the other side of the bridge.

Naoko stretched a bit and yawned before dropping her wrapped up weapon to the floor and making another crack.

Team 5 sweatdropped a bit when the tomboy merely blinked at the newly formed crack and shrugged it off lazily.

"Kami, it's too early to train..." The albino girl grumbled giving Naoko a look before she yawned and leaned onto the railing, "And I didn't even get to eat breakfast..."

"Feh. Baka busu." The tomboy said bluntly while closing her eyes and crossing her arms as she also leaned on the railing.

"Urusai, Ko-Baka! I didn't have time to eat; I was in a rush to get here!" Leiko exclaimed pointing a finger at the tomboy. "And I'm definitely **NOT** an idiotic ugly old hag!"

"Che. Whatever. And if you were in a rush then you should've gotten up more early." Naoko retorted as she glanced at the fuming albino with one eye.

Leiko looked like she was about to tackle the tomboy into the ground and pound her face in but managed to hold herself back from doing so.

Naoko glanced over at Midori before she frowned slightly, "Eh? Midori-Chan? Why are you so quiet this morning?"

"Huh? Oh, I dunno, I guess I just have a lot of thoughts lately." Midori explained, glancing at Shun for a second before returning her gaze back to Naoko.

The tomboy had a barely noticeable concern expression before sighing. "Alright then. If you say so..."

---

About five minutes later, at exactly nine A.M., two 'poofs' of grey smoke appeared in the middle of the bridge along with a pair of silhouettes.

"Ohayou gozaimasu minna!" The familiar serene voice greeted as the grey smoke began to clear to reveal the Watanabe twins.

Dante-Sensei gave a short wave and his usual laid-back grin. "Yo."

"Ohayou Leneth-Sensei. Dante-Sensei." Midori greeted politely before stretching a bit.

Naoko got off of the railing and picked up her dropped weapon before giving a curt nod.

"Ohayou..." Leiko mumbled unenthusiastic making Leneth-Sensei raise an eyebrow.

"Oi!" Michiko greeted loudly while grinning as the other two gave tired nods.

"Eh? Why is Michiko-Chan the only one excited today?" Dante-Sensei inquired making the other two give him a look.

"It's too early..." The black and white haired boy mumbled running his fingers through his hair.

"We're too tired..." The coal-black eyed boy added in stretching a bit before sighing.

"Plus summer's ending..." The Raikou member said looking at the sky as the clouds blocked some of the sunlight.

"The temperature's getting cold..." The Uchiha prodigy grumbled as a gust of cold wind blew by.

"Soon it'll be fall before going onto winter..." Kuroi sighed as his head dropped slightly.

"And then snow-" Shun started before getting cut off.

"Okay, okay! I get you're point." Dante-Sensei said waving his hands in front of him while sweatdropping. 'Sheesh. Why did I get stuck with those two grumps?'

The blue-eyed girl puffed out her cheeks, "Why are you guys being so grumpy? I mean come on! When Winter comes around, it'll be Christmas!"

Michiko's male companions gave her a blank look making the girl sweatdrop nervously under their gaze.

Luckily, before anything drastic could happen, Dante-Sensei and Leneth-Sensei stepped in.

"Are you three done bickering? 'Cause we need to explain some things." Leneth-Sensei said softly.

Team 5 blinked a bit before nodding and turning to the Jounin's and Team 3.

"Okay minna, so last night we were thinking over what training we should give you guys..." Leneth started, pushing up her rolled sleeve higher.

"And since, I still have no clue where your weaknesses and strengths are... We'll be doing some training with Team 3!" Dante finished smiling happily.

Team 5 slowly turned to face the three Kunoichi that had almost killed them yesterday as they smiled awkwardly and laughed in a nervous way.

'Oh fudge-o-roni. We are **SO** dead...'

"So... Let's go to the training grounds already!" Dante chirped happily as he led the way with Leneth following him.

Everyone else anime sighed as they're heads dropped slightly before they followed Dante and Leneth to the training grounds.

---

The sound of birds cheerfully chirping around the training grounds were heard as the sun rose higher into the light-blue sky.

Leneth smiled slightly before explaining exactly what the training with Team 3 and 5 were going to be commencing.

"Okay, now instead of all of you guys fighting head on with Team 3, you'll all be going against each member of Team 3, meaning that all three of you will take on Midori, then Leiko, and then Naoko. These Kunoichi are all special at each of the three Jutsus: Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu respectively. But I would suggest for you to _not_ underestimate them. After all, they're skilled in all of the three main Jutsu's." Leneth began as her voice grew slightly serious.

"By versing each of these Kunoichi, I will know where your strengths and weaknesses are. Plus I'll find out what your battle techniques and styles are thus I'll be able to help you improve them at the end of the battle." Dante finished as he still wore that laid-back smile.

'Chikusho. That means that I have to fight that Naoko-guy-er-girl-er-person... thing... again!!' Michiko said to herself, gulping nervously as she looked at the rather bored Kunoichi.

'Another battle? And against Naoko-sempai?' Kuroi thought, 'This won't be pretty... And it definitely won't end well...'

'Just hurry up with the speech already...' Shun thought annoyed as he crossed his arms and continued to listen to what Dante had to say.

"Alrighty then, are you guys ready?" Leneth asked, smiling at her group.

The Kunoichi nodded boredly and got off of the large trees that they were leaning against, walking towards their sensei.

"And are _you_ guys ready?" Dante asked giving his team an encouraging smile, "Give them everything you've got, but remember that this is only practice. So I'll step in when I think it's getting way out of hand."

The new Genin nodded, slightly relieved at his words, and also got off of the trees that they were resting against.

"Well then, let's begin!" Leneth exclaimed, as she directed Team 5 to the field.

"I guess you're up Midori-Chan." Leiko said as she gave her a gentle nudge on the shoulder.

"Hai! Wish me luck." Midori said calmly as she ran over to the field.

"Ganbatte yo!!!" Leiko called out after her when Naoko smacked her upside the head. "Itai! What was that for, Ko-Baka?!"

"Bakayarou. Haven't you ever heard that if you wish someone good luck it turns to bad luck?" The tomboy said bluntly after insulting her.

"Eh?! Honto ni?! Ah! I meant break a leg, Midori-Chan!!!" The albino girl exclaimed, panicking a bit before she was smacked by Naoko again.

Midori shook her head and laughed softly as her two companions began fighting with each other again before turning to her sensei.

The Watanabe twins finished telling their words of encouragement to their students before leaving the field to stand at the side lines with Naoko and Leiko.

---

On the field, Team 5 huddled in a circle to discuss the plans to get past Midori.

"Alrighty then, since the Dobe over there won't know how to dispel Genjutsu, we'll go on the offences against Midori-sempai. Then Michiko-Dobe will sneak up from behind and attack sempai before she gets the chance to use any Genjutsu attacks. This will be the plan for now." Shun whispered to his teammates.

Michiko, angered by the insult, narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Oi, Uchiha-Teme! I'm **NOT** a Dobe! And I **DO** know how to dispel Genjutsu!"

Shun narrowed his eyes back at Michiko, "Well Dobe, I just so _happen_ to see you sleep through _every_ defense lesson in the Academy. So if you think that you know how to dispel _anything_ then why don't you tell us?"

Michiko was about to retort back at the Uchiha but was cut off by Kuroi.

"Would you guys just _quit it_ already?!" The duo-color haired boy snapped, "And the plan seems fine with me so let's just go with it okay?"

Michiko pouted before they both nodded and got up from their huddled positions.

"If she uses any offensive techniques then try to dodge them, okay?" Kuroi whispered to Michiko who nodded in understandment.

Unfortunately for Team 5, the members didn't see Midori use a Kage Bunshin to replace herself as she hid out in a tree a couple feet away.

Dante, who was standing along the sidelines with Leneth, Naoko and Leiko; took out a clipboard and started to jot some things down.

"Are you guys ready?" Midori's clone asked in a fake annoyed voice.

Each of the members of Team 5 nodded at each other before commencing the discussed plan.

---

'Midori' placed her hands together to create familiar handseals, but before she could finish, several shurikens were thrown at her.

'Midori' swiftly jumped to the side, making the weapons miss and hit the ground before she noticed that the shurikens thrown made a crackling sound.

The clone turned around to see light blue sparks of electricity crackling dangerously around the fallen weapons.

'That would have hurt...' 'Midori' thought as she turned back to see the two Genin in their fighting positions.

She placed her hands together once more, forming the previous handseals and whispered, "Nemurihane."

In a couple of seconds, a shower of white feathers began to cover the training grounds.

"Leneth, did you teach her how to do that technique?" Dante asked, turning to his sister.

"No, and I get what you're saying." Leneth said calmly, "It's an A-rank type of Jutsu, but I guess Mamuro-San taught her that."

Shun looked at Kuroi and nodded before they placed their hands together forming the Horse and Tiger handseals, reflecting the Genjutsu. "Kai!"

The feathers deflected from them and the others on the sidelines as they also performed Genjutsu Release: Dispel.

'GAH! How do I dodge this?!' Michiko exclaimed to herself as she became slowly became drowsy.

Shaking her head vigorously and getting herself together, Michiko gathered up all her strength and ran towards the cat-eyed Kunoichi.

'Midori' didn't bother to turn around to see Michiko charging at her.

Instead, the skilled Genin reached into her back pouch and grabbed a couple of shurikens before she flung them behind her, revealing Michiko's sneak attack.

Michiko easily dodged it but ended up back with and beside her team mates, Shun and Kuroi.

The shower of feathers slowly fades into nothingness as the Genjutsu ended.

---

'Hm, Midori should have known that Nemurihane is useless during combat but good during missions.' Dante thought as he continued to study his students.

"Neh, Leneth-Sensei. Is Midori-Chan going to use _that _Genjutsu?" Leiko inquired giving the Jounin a confused look.

"Mmhm, but don't worry. After all, it's only for practice." Leneth replied, keeping her eye on the battle.

"But don't all of the Genjutsu Midori-Chan uses have some severe ending to it?" Leiko asked once more. 'I'm starting to pity those three...'

"That may be true but this certain Genjutsu can be controlled by Midori herself, since she _is_ the one that made it up." Leneth said, turning to Leiko and smiling.

Dante glanced up at the battle and then back to his clipboard as he jotted down some more things.

'So she's going to use _that_ technique, eh? Heh. Last time she used it, she almost felt guilty for the enemy for making it too strong.' Naoko thought as she lazily continued to watch the battle. 'That Genjutsu is one to fear... _Kokuyo-Seki Meian no Jutsu_.'

---

With Team 5 back together, 'Midori' had them where she wanted and she placed her hands together and created the Tiger, Bird, Dragon, and Snake handseals before smirking and whispering, "Kokuyo-Seki Meian no Jutsu."

There was a loud crack as if metal had broken a large block of ice and the three new Genin gasped in surprise and shock.

"N-Nani?! I c-can't move!" Michiko exclaimed, her body stiff as stone. She couldn't even move her mouth as much.

"We can't even dispel this." Kuroi mumbled, trying to move his hands.

"Chikusho, I _really _don't like where this is going..." Shun grumbled trying to move.

"You know, if you keep that up then it'll only make it harder for you to move." 'Midori' explained. "After all, I created this Genjutsu so that it would be hard, if not impossible, to dispel."

Suddenly, hot jets of yellow-green flames ignited from the ground and rapidly began to encircle the three Genin.

"What the heck is going on?!" Michiko exclaimed, confused and a bit worried.

"Leneth, are you sure this is okay? I mean the fire!" Dante exclaimed nervously.

"Don't worry Dante-Sensei, it _is_ a Genjutsu after all. Besides, Midori knows what she's doing." Naoko explained nonchalantly which calmed the worried Sensei a bit.

A sharp pain suddenly daggered into Michiko's head as she yelped and dropped down to her knees.

The sharp pains also daggered into the other Genin's head as they too slouched over from the intensity of the newfound pain.

'This is worse than a migraine!' Kuroi thought as he tried to fight off the pain.

After a few milliseconds, the three Genin grew deadly silent before screaming in unison.

The pain intensified before fading into nothing as their minds were being 'transferred' into a different dimension.

One that seems to be some sort of a dream-like realm with the sky darkening and the green-yellow flames still burning intensely.

The blue-eyed girl was frozen with fear at the menacing creatures that stood in front of her.

A pair of large twenty feet green-yellow boa constrictors slowly slid towards her with their large poisonous fangs bared at the girl.

"You're so worthless Michiko…" One of the boas said, hissing out her name as if it were trash.

"You have no family… you don't even have friends…" The other boa said, slowly entangling around Michiko's leg.

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!!!" Michiko yelled trying to kick the snake off of her leg. However, another sharp pain shot through her head and she yelped.

"Look at yourself. You're a pathetic excuse of a living being! No one cares for you... You worthless little girl!!" The boa spat, hissing and baring it's fangs at Michiko, who was clutching her head tightly and trying to shake herself out of it.

"It's only a Genjutsu, it's only a Genjutsu…" She whispered over and over, trying to fight off the painful words coming out of the boas.

A couple of meters away, Kuroi was clutching his ears and shaking his head violently.

"I didn't mean to! It wasn't my fault!!" He yelled as tears began to build up.

A slender figure with long dark hair and dressed in a white dress stood before him and laughed before softly sobbing.

"But Kuroi-Chan… you should have saved me… you were right there. How could you Kuroi-Chan? How could _you_?!"

"Argh… it wasn't my fault… it wasn't…" Kuroi whispered harshly as he tried to reach into his leg pocket for a kunai.

"You were _right there_." The figure exclaimed, spitting out the last two words.

"But you could have **RAN**!!" Kuroi snapped as he ignored the intense pain in his head and grabbed his kunai before twirling the blade around and plunging it into his other hand.

When the first drop of red liquid seeped out and fell, the figure softly laughed before fading away into thin air.

The background and the sky changed back into the training grounds as Kuroi laid down on the grass panting slightly.

His head was still throbbing from the pain and his left hand was covered in blood as it colored the nearby green grass a dark shade of red.

'Midori' crossed her arms as she smiled softly at the duo haired boy and looked back up at the two remaining Genin.

'Well that wasn't too hard for him to 'dispel' so to say.' She thought before a slightly amused expression appeared.

The young black haired Uchiha member, Shun, was running franticly with anime tears flowing down his face.

"Wah! Get away from me!" He exclaimed, trying to speed up and dash away from the 'targets'.

"But Shun-Kun, we _love_ you!!" The 'targets', or rather the 'fangirls' cooed, as they began to close in on Shun.

"Nooooo!!!" The Uchiha shouted still running before he tripped over a rock in his hurry.

The fangirls surrounded him as his eyes widen while he thought, 'Get me out of here!!!'

But before the fangirls could touch him, the Uchiha placed his hands together to form the seals: Tiger, Boar, Ox, Dog, and Serpent.

"Kawarimi no Jutsu!"

-Poof-

"Kya! Shun-Kun! Doko ni iru no?!" The fangirls wailed as they turned this way and that way trying to find the boy who had disappeared.

Meanwhile, behind a tree, Shun panted heavily before he slid down and sat on the floor. 'Talk about a nightmare...'

"Eeeee! There he is!!!" A fangirl suddenly shouted making the boy jump up and begin running.

'Argh! Think, Shun, think!' The Uchiha shouted to himself as he furrowed his eyebrows together in concentration before a thought occurred to him.

'Chotto matte yo... This is a Genjutsu although not an ordinary one. Everything only _seems_ real so...' Shun smirked a bit before forming the handseals: Serpent, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, and Tiger. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

Taking a deep breath, Shun exhaled and breathed out a stream of red fire allowing it to cover his targets.

The Uchiha panted a bit before smirking as the scene began to change back to its original appearance. "Heh. Looks like I got it."

"So you got out of it too?" The question was asked by the duo-color haired boy, Kuroi.

"Ah, hai..." Shun said as he rested on the grass. "By the way, where's the Dobe?"

Before Kuroi could respond to the question, a pained cry reached their ears.

Turning to the direction of the yell, the pair froze in shock as they saw their female companion bowed on her knees.

---

"Yamete!" The blue-eyed girl held her head in her hands as tears began to fall. "Onegai... Onegaishimasu... Yamete..."

Midori was about to cancel the Genjutsu, thinking that it was enough, when the girl began to speak.

"Heh. You'd like me to say that, ne?" Michiko murmured as she stood up shakily with her face shadowed.

"Nani?" 'Midori' and the real Midori mumbled slightly surprised at the fact that the girl's aura had turned to one of confidence.

Michiko began to smirk before she created the handseals: Tiger, Boar, Ox, and Dog. "Bunshin no Jutsu!"

'Midori' smiled slightly as she watched the girl and her two clones take on her fears. 'This will be interesting...'

In Michiko's eyes, all she saw was two boa constrictors that will soon lose their lives.

Both 'Michiko' clones charged at the two giant snakes, dodging the snakes' bites while biding time for the real one.

Michiko took out two scrolls and flipped them open, allowing the scrolls to spiral around her.

"Soushouryu!" The girl shouted as her fingers brushed lightly against the paper, allowing two kunai to appear.

By now, the two boas had already knocked the clones away making them 'poof' into nothing.

"Sssay 'Sssayonara' musssume!" Both snakes hissed as they slithered towards Michiko with their fangs bared.

"Heh." Michiko smirked as her eyes seemed to have danced with excitement. "'Sayonara' then."

The blue-eyed girl expertly threw the kunai at the snakes before her fingers brushed against the scroll again making four shurikens appear.

The two kunai were thrown into the boa's mouths before each shuriken had hit their mark on their foreheads.

The snakes did not slow down but Michiko wasn't discouraged as she created more weapons and threw them, each hitting their mark.

The boas, with their fangs bared, dived onto Michiko as dust flew into the air.

Silence reigned before a small 'poof' was heard from below the snakes making the two boas move away from their attack.

What they had thought was Michiko, turned out to be a splintered piece of wood.

Suddenly, the weapons that had embedded themselves into the snakes began to move before each was pulled out.

The boas hissed in pain before turning their piercing gaze towards the smirking girl that stood on a boulder.

"Ningyoushibai no Koutetsu!" The blue-eyed girl shouted as she forced the weapons to fly towards her enemies.

The boas hissed in pain once more before a katana embedded itself into each of the snakes' head.

"And last but not least," Michiko called out still smirking as she moved her hands making two axes move along with her. "The finale!"

The axes charged towards the boas and slit them in the throats before the two reptiles fell to the ground motionless.

Michiko panted heavily before slumping down onto the ground as the weapons collapsed.

The dark scenery slowly faded into the bright and sunny training arena making the young girl smile before closing her eyes and giving a victory sign. "Bui."

'Nicely done.' The real Midori thought as she made her clone disappear and jumped out of the tree she hid into.

'That one was a clone?!' Shun thought, a bit surprised that a_ clone_ could perform a Genjutsu like that.

'Yokatta... Michiko-san made it out okay.' Kuroi thought as he sighed softly, relieved.

"Alright! Great work you guys! Now come over here, I've got something to tell you all." Dante called over to his squad and to Midori.

The four Genin slowly walked over to the sidelines to rejoin their Sensei and teammates before they plopped down on the ground and listened to what Dante had to say.

"As you probably know, I've been jotting down some notes in this clipboard. And now Leneth and I will be demonstrating some things you Genin should know about when you're fighting a ninja using Genjutsu." Dante explained.

Complying, Leneth walked over to the field and waited for Dante to begin.

"Sometimes when you're in a Genjutsu, like Midori's _Kokuyo-Seki Meian no Jutsu_, pain is one way to break or dispel it." Dante said, taking out his kunai and cutting his finger slightly.

"By the way, great job on that one Kuroi! But make sure your hand isn't bleeding that severely." Dante pointed out, a bit worried that Kuroi might have overdone it.

Suddenly coming from behind Leneth, a clone of Dante placed her into a choke-hold while placing his feet between Leneth's, making her slightly stumble.

"Also, in battles like this one, using a replacement should also do the trick and can take down the enemy from behind, which can possibly disrupt the Genjutsu."

"And nice work on that one Shun. Michiko." 'Dante' praised.

Michiko grinned as she rubbed the back of her head and Shun crossed his arms and smirked.

'Dante' let go of Leneth and poofed away as the real Dante appeared.

"When trying to use a sneak attack, the person should be silent and should attack when the opponent isn't watching their back or is in a vulnerable position." Dante said, "Midori on the other hand had used a Kage Bunshin and hid out in a tree, therefore allowing her to have a bird's eye view of what was going on."

The three Genin of Team 5 mouthed an 'oh' before listening to Leneth.

"If you're placed in an illusion-type world, always remind yourself that it's _only_ a _Genjutsu_ and that _everything_ is an _illusion_. The enemies will mess with your head, which is the point of Genjutsu; hurting you mentally." Leneth explained, "If it seems that a Genjutsu has been dispelled, make sure that it _isn't_ an illusion placed on top of an illusion."

"Illusion placed _over_ an illusion?!" Michiko exclaimed, "Is that even possible?!"

Leneth glanced at Midori before the female Genin explained her _Kokuyo-Seki Meian no Jutsu_.

"The _Kokuyo-Seki Meian no Jutsu_ is a Genjutsu I created myself. It freezes the opponents in place while I perform the handseals which make it activate the yellow-green flames which surrounds the opponent so there is no way out. It also activates the extremely real clones or images of the opponent's worst fears or deepest regrets."

Kuroi's heart dropped a bit after hearing the 'deepest regrets' part but paid no mind to it after a second and continued to listen.

"Yeah we get the first part but what's with this illusion placed over another one?" Shun asked.

"The second part of this Jutsu, which Leneth-Sensei and I really didn't want to use on you guys, is to place another illusion or a different dimension on top of that dimension I placed you guys into. There I can mess with your heads. For example, if this was a real mission and there was a group of enemy Shinobi, I can make them seem like they're going to their designated destination but they're actually walking around in circles, and I can place images of their fears to attack them while they're trying to find a way out." Midori explained before smiling and rubbing the back of her head, "Also I can send them into another dimension where I can pretty much torture them until they become mentally unstable and insane."

'Midori-Chan sure can be pretty scary during missions.' Leiko thought as she remembered her using that second part on one of a group of enemy Shinobi.

'You haven't seen anything yet.' Leneth thought and she placed on a small smile.

'Midori-San must have _a lot_ of free time in her hands in order to create a Genjutsu of that caliber.' Kuroi thought, slightly amused.

Dante gave Midori a warm smile before he began to finish explaining. "Lastly, teamwork is essential and it's also why everyone is placed onto squads. If there should be any discouragement, such as what Shun had said to Michiko about dispelling Genjutsu, it will result in failed missions."

Shun sweatdropped before turning away and blushing faintly in embarrassment as Michiko stuck her tongue out at him mockingly.

"Which, by the way, Akio-Sensei told me to practice and to refresh with you guys about Defenses, especially you Michiko since you have been sleeping through all of those lessons."

This time, Michiko blushed in embarrassment and pouted a bit as Shun stuck his tongue out at her mockingly.

"Thus, if there should be any discouragement or anything at all, it'll make your missions a failure." Dante said before placing his pen into the clipboard.

The three Genin nodded in understandment before the two Jounin walked back to the sidelines.

"Now, do you guys want to rest up some more? Or do you think you can handle Leiko-San next?" Dante asked before smiling his signature smile.

* * *

****

**A/N**: To anyone that read the last two chapters, one of those chapters (White Messages) is now posted after Chapter 4, and the other chapter (Hoshikorosu) is posted in the beginning of chapter 5. Sorry for the confusion!

We hope you enjoyed this chapter. We'll be working on Chapter 6 soon, so stay tuned! Thanks for reading and review if you get a chance, we would like to know what you think of the story so far.

(**BTW**: We drew character pictures of everyone! The links to the pictures are in our profile so go check them out!)

-Naoko-Miharu (:

_Kokuyo-Seki Meian no Jutsu _translated is, **Obsidian Shades**.


	6. Nani? This is a test?

**_Disclaimer:_** We don't own Naruto.  
The other characters and _some_ of the Jutsus, however belong to us, Naoko & Miharu.

_SIDE NOTE_: For the previous chapters, gomen about messing it up and all. Miharu's computer was broken for a couple of days so the original file was deleted and so she had to write another version of the Hoshikorosu special (Naoko's part is under Chapter 4 while Midori's part is in the beginning of Chapter 5). We're going to try to match things up so if you read the _old _Hoshikorosu chapter then everything that the new one doesn't have will be added somewhere later on in the story. If you haven't read the _actual_ chapter with Midori's battle underneath the Hoshikorosu chapter, then you might not really understand _this_ chapter, so double check so you won't get confused. Heh heh, so uh, on to the chapter! And sorry about the confusion and here's the almost month's worth of an update! Enjoy---

(---) – Means a short time skip.  
_Italics_ – Flashback

* * *

**Chapter Six: Nani?! This is a test?!

* * *

**

**RECAP:**

"Thus, if there should be any discouragement or anything at all, it'll make your missions a failure," Dante said before placing his pen into the clipboard.

The three Genin nodded in understandment before the two Jounin walked back to the sidelines.

"Now, do you guys want to rest up some more? Or do you think you can handle Leiko-san next?" Dante asked before smiling his signature smile.

-----

Michiko grinned, not noticing the semi-wide eye look that her two comrades gave to each other.

They were still a bit exhausted from the previous battle with Midori and they sure as heck weren't in the mood for another battle.

"Of course we're ready!" The blue-eyed girl exclaimed, her sapphire eyes twinkling, "We're ready for _anything_! Right, guys?!"

Michiko looked over at her two teammates, who sighed annoyed but nodded slowly in agreement.

"Great! Ready, Leiko-san?" Dante asked the albino Kunoichi while picking up his clipboard once again and flipped to a clean piece of paper.

"Go get 'em," Midori whispered to her albino friend as she gently nudged her on the shoulder.

"Oh, I've got them alright," Leiko whispered back, cracking her knuckles as she proceeded towards the large field.

"Tch. You wish you got 'em," Naoko mumbled under her breath before returning her gaze to the sky.

The albino girl, who had just so happened to have heard her, gained an anime vein and was about to retort back when Leneth began to speak.

"Don't go too hard nor too easy on them, okay?" Leneth warned breaking the two up before another argument broke out.

"You have my word Leneth-sensei!" The albino girl exclaimed as she completely forgot about the insult.

"Alrighty then, do your best!" Leneth praised happily as she nudged Leiko onto the battle field.

Meanwhile, the three Genin of Team 5 got up and walked over to Dante who gave them a few words of advice and encouragement.

"Remember, this time you're facing a Shinobi using mostly Ninjutsu. If you're going to use Ninjutsu to attack back, make sure that your chakra won't run out too quickly, got it?" Dante explained, warning them about the chakra part, "You all are great in your teamwork and your battle techniques, so don't give up."

The three Genin nodded before they all proceeded to the field to verse an eager Leiko.

---

Shun quickly assembled a group discussion for a plan before Leiko would attack them.

"Should we go for another sneak attack?" Kuroi asked, keeping an eye on the older Kunoichi.

"I'm not doing it," Michiko stated flatly while crossing her arms, "Why don't you do it this time, Uchiha-Teme?"

Shun glared at Michiko before sighing, "Fine. We'll all make Bunshins and then you guys try to distract her with yours while I'll try to go around her. Try to make it seem like the Bunshins are actually attacking her when you two are the ones that are actually attacking."

The two Shinobi nodded in agreement and un-huddled before they got ready to commence their second plan.

---

"Ready?" Dante shouted, pulling out the pen from the clipboard.

The four Genin nodded and got into positions before Dante shouted, "Begin!"

---

The three Genin made the Tiger, Boar, Ox and Dog handseals before exclaiming in unison, "Bunshin no Jutsu!!!"

Three clones appeared for each Genin as they all charged towards Leiko, who was just standing there with a smirk on her face.

'Just a normal Bunshin?' She asked herself, knowing she could easily 'poof' them away.

With all eleven of them charging right at Leiko, Shun quickly jumped into a nearby tree and moved closer to Leiko, making as little sound as possible.

"Take this!" Kuroi's clones exclaimed as shurikens surrounded with crackling blue-white electricity were thrown at the albino.

Leiko's eyes widened at electrified shurikens but managed to smoothly dodge them.

However, unbeknownst to the albino, Michiko and Shun had thrown their shurikens at her when she was focused on Kuroi.

"Yosh! We got her!" Michiko and her clones exclaimed happily.

Leiko cursed under her breath as she saw her newly ripped, blood stained sleeve.

Shun, who was in a tree behind Leiko, saw her off guard and jumped out while forming the Snake, Dragon, Rabbit, and Tiger signs before he inhaled and called out, "Katon: Karyuu Endan!!"

A smooth stream of hot red flames dispersed out of his mouth which aimed directly at Leiko as Shun landed softly on the ground.

But when the flames came into contact with her, she 'poofed' away, causing a large explosion to occur in her place.

The Genin's clones also 'poofed' away due to the explosion as the members of Team 5 were flung backwards a couple of feet with minor cuts and bruises.

Leneth, Dante and the two Kunoichi shielded their eyes from the intensity of the explosion.

'Jeez Leiko-san…' Midori thought as the attack slowly began to cease.

"What the fudge was that?!" Michiko questioned angrily as she picked herself back up.

"That was my Bakuretsu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." A voice said calmly.

The three Genin slowly stood up as the real Leiko jumped out of tree and landed perfectly on her feet.

'Damn, those things hurt…' Kuroi thought as he placed a hand on his left shoulder which was slightly bleeding.

'Exploding Shadow Clones?!' Michiko exclaimed in her mind, 'what the hell?! Didn't she use that on the Teme?!'

Shun, who was limping slightly and peeved that he fell for the same Jutsu twice, quickly made the Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, and Tiger handseals before calling out, "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!!"

Taking out a large amount of chakra from his hand and mouth he blew out a heavy stream of flame directly at Leiko.

The Kunoichi took note of this and hastily dodged it to the side but a small portion of her shirt took some damage and was burned slightly.

Shun who was still concentrating on his attack, made it follow Leiko.

He then took out a couple of shurikens wrapped with some sort of grass wrapping and ignited them with the flames.

Stopping the Jutsu once the shurikens were lit, Shun immediately threw it at Leiko who had just finished dodging the Gokakyu no Jutsu.

"Oh crap," Leiko whispered harshly as she quickly scrambled to dodge the flame engulfed shurikens.

As the weapons began to close up on the albino, a certain blue-eyed girl remembered that the weapons used from previous and current battles were scattered all over the training ground.

Leiko jumped out of the way making the shurikens miss and hit the ground. The flame-engulfed shuriken lost its flame but remained burnt and smoking.

'Damn, that was too freakin' close!' Leiko thought as she sighed in relief.

"You know you shouldn't let your guard down as much Leiko-san," Kuroi called over after he noticed Michiko's gaze.

"What did you say?!" Leiko exclaimed angrily and peeved that she was being lectured by someone younger than herself.

"If you let your guard down you wouldn't be able to see this coming!" Michiko exclaimed making the albino turn her gaze to the weapon master in surprise.

"Ningyoushibai no Koutetsu!!" The blue-eyed Kunoichi exclaimed as she jumped up and moved her fingers, sending a rain of shurikens and kunai to shower Leiko.

Leiko cursed under her breath once more before she began smirking as she thought of a plan.

Before the weapons could rain down on her, the amethyst-violet eyed Kunoichi quickly and calmly formed the Tiger and Dragon handseals before slamming her palms onto the ground and calling out, "**Suiton: Kyu-Suito!!! **"

There was a violent shake of the ground before a large crack formed in front of Leiko which then grew into a larger one.

In a matter of seconds, a heavy pulse of water erupted out of the ground like a geyser and charged at the three Genin.

---

'Who knew Leiko could get so reckless?' Dante asked to himself, as he began to prepare to make sure nothing would get out of hand.

"Leneth-sensei, is this Leiko's Kekkei Genkai?" Midori asked all of a sudden as she looked at the technique in surprise.

"Yup, it sure is," Leneth said turning to her cat-eyed student, "Why'd you ask?"

"Oh, I just never saw that attack before, that's all," Midori replied getting over her shock.

Besides the young Sensei and the cat-eyed Genin of Team 3, a certain tomboy narrowed her eyes at her albino comrade's technique. 'Note to self: Torture Leiko-san in the worst possible manner if she ever uses that technique, or any other water techniques, on me.'

---

Meanwhile, Leiko let out a sneeze before a cold shiver ran down her spine making her sweatdrop while looking around nervously. 'Someone must be threatening me...'

Shrugging off the strange feeling, the albino Kunoichi focused her gaze towards her opponents and watched her technique take place.

The water surged dangerously, Michiko's chakra strings were cut and her attack ended. The water's pulse almost suffocated the three Genin as they were plunged deeper in the water.

---

After a couple of moments later, the water slowly disappeared to reveal three very drenched and very annoyed Genin.

"Blech, I _hate _water!!" Michiko spat angrily as she squeezed the water that was absorbed in her hair.

Shun's and Kuroi's hair were matted down on their faces but they quickly regain their composure and stood up along with Michiko, who was slightly pouting.

"Did you have a nice swim?" Leiko asked, placing her hands at the sides of her hips and smirking her infamous 'I just pwned you' smirk.

Shun grunted with annoyance while Michiko had anime veins around her. Kuroi merely scowled before he settled with a frown.

Then, with Leiko's swift agility, she dashed towards the three and made the Ram, Snake, and Tiger handseals before she called out, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Three full clones of Leiko appeared beside her as they all took out a kunai and a few shurikens and threw them at the three Genin.

With the weapons rapidly speeding towards the three, Michiko took out her own kunai and swiftly deflected a shuriken before catching it.

The kunai that was aiming for Shun was easily caught along with another shuriken. The two comrades, as if on cue, threw them back at the still charging Leiko and her clones.

Kuroi took out and threw a couple of electrified shurikens to add more damage to the albino Kunoichi.

Leiko who saw the weapons being thrown to her smoothly dodged them all and focused her chakra before she threw her _own_ type of shurikens back.

"What the-?! Shurikens made entirely out of water?!" Kuroi exclaimed, as his jaw slightly dropped.

Leiko's water shurikens collided with Shun's and Michiko's weapons making them slow down before they went completely through each other.

Shun's and Michiko's weapons soon dropped to the ground after slowing down while Leiko's water shurikens continued their paths.

Michiko grinded her teeth together with frustration as she tried to think of another way to get to Leiko when Kuroi's electrified shurikens collided with Leiko's water ones.

-Boom-

Small explosions of mist formed as the sound of electricity crackling were heard.

"Chikusho, we need to use something else besides normal attacks," Michiko said aloud in frustration.

Before the Kunoichi could say anything else, Shun quickly took out the remaining shurikens he had left in his pouch and started to throw them at Leiko and her clones.

'What is he doing?!' Kuroi thought to himself annoyed as he narrowed his eyes before an idea struck him.

Leiko and her clones all easily dodged Shun's attacks and were now facing the Uchiha with their backs turned to Michiko and Kuroi.

"Kuroi!" Shun exclaimed as the duo-color haired boy nodded in response.

Kuroi quickly flung two electrified kunai at Leiko's clones, in which in a matter of seconds poofed away leaving Leiko in a pissed mode.

'Got you where I want you.' Shun thought as his mouth curved into a smirk.

The young Genin placed his hands together to create the Rat, Tiger, Dog, Ox, and Rabbit handseals before calling out, "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"

Leiko's eyes widened when she saw the intense flames that dispersed out of Shun's mouth begin to surround her.

The albino couldn't get out because one: she was obviously surrounded by flames, two: she was surrounded by her opponents, and three: if she used a Suiton jutsu to put out the flames, Michiko, Shun, and Kuroi would attack her from there.

Thus, Leiko calmly closed her eyes as she tried to remember Leneth's teachings.

Shun's smirk was still plastered on his face when made the Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, and Tiger and called out, "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!!"

Another intense stream of flames engulfed the already surrounding flames as Leiko's image began to fade away from their views.

---

'I hope Leiko-san's doing alright.' Midori thought, a bit concerned as she continued to watch the battle.

Leneth stared intensely at the battle in front of her before she let out a soft, "I see..."

Dante nodded in agreement with her sister before he jotted some things down on the clipboard.

Naoko glanced at the Jounin and at her friend before sighing while thinking, 'Mataku, mendokusai...'

---

When Shun's attack ended he let out a soft and content 'hm' before looking over to Michiko who was staring at the flames intensely.

"Michiko-Dobe, use your move," Shun said casually yet sternly.

Michiko narrowed her eyes at the Uchiha for calling her that annoying nickname before obeying.

The Kunoichi quickly made chakra strings to her fingers and connected them with the weapons scattered on the ground.

Like a marionette, Michiko sent them flying towards the flames before a couple of 'thunks' were heard.

After a moment, Michiko broke her chakra strings and along with her three teammates watched as the fire began to burn out before everyone's eyes widen.

---

"NANI?!" The Kunoichi of Team 5 exclaimed as her mouth seemed to have dropped in surprise.

There, in the middle of the burnt patch of grass, laid a log with various kunai and shurikens embedded in them.

"You forgot about the Kawarimi no Jutsu!" A loud, sing-song voice exclaimed happily as she jumped down from a nearby tree.

'Dammit she did it again?!' Shun thought annoyed as his body ached with pain. 'Chikusho, I'm practically out of chakra!'

"Feh, don't underestimate me," Leiko said cockily as she tucked a strand of ivory-silver hair behind her ear.

The three Genin sighed heavily with annoyance as Dante and the others at the sidelines, with the exception of Naoko who just stared at the sky minding her own business, applauded.

"Yosh! That's enough for this battle, you guys! Good job!" Dante commended while smiling.

The three Genin glared at Leiko before they all slowly proceeded towards Dante and his new tips for Ninjutsu.

---

"Excellent work, you guys. Your teamwork was great and future missions will be successful if you keep this up." Dante feed-backed.

Leiko returned back to her team and slid down the tree and sat down on the grass, letting out a low sigh.

"Phew that was tiring…" The albino whispered as she played with a part of her burnt shirt before gaining an anime vein, "Kuso! Don't they tell kids not to play with fire?!'

"But you did good Leiko-san!" Midori exclaimed, as her eyes creased into two upside down 'u', "Didn't she, Naoko-chan?"

"Eh, she did alright," Naoko said glancing at the two before shrugging and returning her gaze to another cloud, 'Mataku, looks like I'm up next...'

After a few pointers from Dante, there was a loud groan amongst the new Genin before they collapsed onto the ground.

"Ahahaha, alright, alright!" Dante exclaimed as he sweatdropped, "Oi, Leneth! Can you and your team step over here for a moment?"

"Sure." The Team 3 Sensei said, walking up to Dante as her students trailed boredly behind her.

"It's around twelve now and it looks like we need a short break." Dante explained looking at his tired out students, "So, we're going to take a lunch break before meeting back here in two hours to resume the final training for today."

The two teams nodded happily in agreement before heading out into the village square.

---

"So..." Midori started with her hands behind her as she looked at her friends, "Where should we eat?"

"Dunno." Naoko answered as she shrugged before yawning, "Café Kaminari, perhaps?"

"Um... What do you think Mi-Shu-Ku?" The cat eyed Kunoichi asked turning to the younger Genin.

"Mi-Shu-Ku?" Michiko asked blinking while giving Midori a look of confusion.

"Yeah! _Mi_ for Michiko,_ Shu_ for Shun, and _Ku_ for Kuroi," The Kunoichi exclaimed clapping her hands together happily, "I came up with that."

The two males with them raised an eyebrow before shrugging as Michiko nodded in understandment. "Right, got'cha... I think..."

Midori sweatdropped as Leiko rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Great, another Ko-Baka here."

The blue-eyed girl gained an anime vein before pointing at the tomboy lagging behind them, "Oi! I'm not like that crazy woman!"

The albino snickered at the insult before both Leiko and Michiko crashed to the floor with anime bumps on their heads.

"Baka-tachi," The tomboy grumbled glaring down at them while crossing her arms before walking past them.

Midori sighed and helped the two fallen girls up as they stuck their tongues out at the distancing tomboy before muttering, "Crazy woman..."

Naoko stopped walking and slowly turned around as her hair shadowed the right side of her face.

Leiko and Michiko shuddered at the murderous killer intent before cowering in fear behind Midori who, in turn, was sweatdropping.

The tomboy walked backwards towards the two girls before leaning down and whispering in their ears, "Crazy woman? No. Psycho killer? Yes."

With that, Naoko turned back around as the cold chill disappeared and was replaced with a happy feeling.

"K-Kowai..." The albino and the blue-eyed girls mumbled before thinking to themselves, 'Note to self: Never _ever_ call her _crazy woman_... _Especially_ when she's a _psycho killer_ instead!!!'

Meanwhile, Shun and Kuroi were sweatdropping nervously at the previous and current scene in front of them as Midori sighed a shook her head.

---

In a couple of minutes, the six Genin arrived at the popular Café Kaminari and took their seats (with Team 3 sitting on the opposite side of Team 5) at a long table near the side window of the café before placing their orders.

"May I have the second Bento Box Special, please?" The cat eyed Kunoichi asked happily.

The waiter smiled and nodded before he quickly jotted down the order while waiting for the rest of the Genin's orders.

"I'll just have Plain Udon." Leiko ordered as she placed the menu down on the table.

"The Hot and Spicy Ramen with Extra Habanero on top for me." Naoko said casually.

The waiter sweatdropped nervously, "Ano... Are you sure you want that? It's kind of-"

"-Dangerous to eat without experience?" The tomboy finished while raising an eyebrow.

The waiter nodded with an embarrassed look on his face while Leiko snickered, "Don't worry yourself over Ko-Baka over there. She would eat Habanero as snacks if she could get them."

The waiter, as well as Kuroi, stared wide-eyed at the bored tomboy as Midori sweatdropped, "Maa, maa. Can we finish ordering now? We're kind of on limited time..."

The waiter snapped out of his shock and nodded, slightly dazed. "Yes, of course."

Michiko blinked and shrugged when she saw Shun's confused gaze before exclaiming, "Miso Ramen for me!"

"Mizu." Shun said emotionlessly while crossing his arms.

"..."

Silence reigned over the table as a cold draft blew past everyone before...

-SMACK-

"BAKAYAROU!!! I THOUGHT THAT WE TOLD YOU TO EAT RIGHT!!!" A furious blue-eyed girl shouted nearly blowing everyone away with her loud volume.

Shun swayed dizzily with anime swirly eyes as Kuroi dropped his head feeling disheartened while everyone else sweatdropped.

The sweatdrops on Team 3 and the waiter seemed to have multiplied and ran down nervously when they saw the next scene... which consisted of Michiko grabbing the collar of Shun's shirt and shaking him vigorously.

"ARE YOU DOING THIS JUST TO IRRITATE ME?! WELL?! ARE YOU?! 'CAUSE IF YOU ARE THEN I SWEAR TO YOU, UCHIHA-TEME THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE YOUR LIFE MISERABLE!!!" The blue-eyed girl gained several anime veins as she continued shouting some other "colorful" insults.

All the while, Michiko was swinging him around in circles while only using her right arm as everyone else followed the motion with their head wide-eyed.

Kuroi was the first to snap out of it and sighed before rolling up his sleeves and "accidentally" smacking Michiko on the head which, in turn, caused the girl to smack her head on the table.

This then resulted in Michiko letting go of the spinning Shun which made the Uchiha sail over a table and slam into the wall before sliding downwards twitching in pain.

Michiko stared wide-eyed at Shun before she and Leiko let out a full-blown laugh while Midori and Naoko snickered quietly.

Kuroi sighed a bit before dragging the unconscious Uchiha back to his seat and turning to the gaping waiter, "Give him Spam Musubi, please."

The waiter snapped out of his stupor and nodded before he jotting the order down and pointed his pen at Kuroi, "And for you?"

"Natto Onigiri." The Raikou said sitting in between his two teammates just in case Michiko decided to throw a tantrum again.

The waiter nodded and headed towards the kitchen to fulfill the Genin's orders while thinking, 'I hope that I don't have to assist them again...'

---

'Gross, he like Natto?!' Michiko thought to herself as she made a face while sticking her tongue out at the thought of the strong smelling paste.

"Calm down Michiko-san, I've got mints so my breath won't be so bad after I eat it." Kuroi said as if he read the Kunoichi's mind.

The Kunoichi smiled awkwardly at Kuroi while rubbing the back of her neck before resting her head on the table.

"So…" The cat-eyed teen started, breaking the silence, "What do you guys think of Dante-sensei so far?"

"He seems nice so far." Kuroi commented, "A lot different from Leneth-sensei I can tell."

"You haven't seen anything yet." Leiko whispered as she quietly snickered making Naoko roll her eyes.

"What about you Michiko-san?" Midori asked, linking her hands together.

"Me?! Well, I mean he's alright, I haven't seen him do much." Michiko said.

A sudden soft groan from Shun startled everyone but Kuroi and Naoko who sweatdropped.

"I think you kind of over did it, Michiko-san." Midori stated softly while laughing nervously.

Michiko sweatdropped before scratching the side of her face, "Eto... I just got a little carried away?"

"Try a lot." Naoko said bluntly as Leiko snickered at Michiko's darkening red and flustered expression before resting her head on her arms.

Midori smiled at the scene before slouching back in the seat, "Do you guys want me to use Chiyute no Jutsu? Since you all look like you've been in a fire pit and through ten monsoons."

"Daijoubu, Midori-sempai. You don't need to and since we're Shinobi now, we can handle things on our own." Kuroi calmly protested.

"Yappari..." The Kunoichi mumbled before sitting up and slightly pouting, "But I insist! I really don't mind helping you guys!"

"Demo..." Kuroi mumbled with a slight frown on his face. 'I really don't want to depend so much on Midori-Sempai for our own mistakes...'

Michiko grinned and decided to cut into the conversation, "Ano... Maybe you should use it on Uchiha-Teme? Since he's knocked out and all..."

Kuroi blinked at his teammate before sighing after he glanced over at Shun, "Hai..."

"Yoshi! I'll start healing you guys now." Midori stated as she got up and kneeled down next to Shun to perform her Chiyute no Jutsu.

---

"Since we're waiting for our food and all..." Michiko started before trailing off as she slouched down into her chair.

"Oh! I know!" Midori chirped while sitting up from her own slouched position. "Why don't we do that 'Twenty Questions' game except without the 'Twenty' part?"

Leiko picked up her head before grinning. "So we get to ask an unlimited amount?"

Midori sweatdropped at the albino girl's excited expression, "Yeah but-"

"YATTA!" Leiko exclaimed throwing her arms above her with a wide grin before she was smacked by Naoko. "Itai! Oi! What was that for?!"

The tomboy gave her teammate a look before pointing out rather boredly, "Midori-chan didn't finish."

The albino sweatdropped before rubbing the back of her neck nervously, "Ahahaha! Right! Sorry 'bout that, Midori-chan."

The cat-eyed girl smiled accepting the apology before continuing, "Anyways, the questions are limited to non-personal things-"

Leiko groaned while dropping her head onto the table making Naoko roll her eyes and think, 'Yare, yare.'

Midori sighed a bit but continued, "And also, every question asked must be answered by _everyone_."

Michiko tilted her head to the side, slightly confused, "But what if we can't answer the question."

"Well..." Midori started scratching the side of her face while thinking.

"It depends on the question." Naoko finished as she sat cross-legged on the chair with her back to the wall and her right arm resting on the table at her side.

"And I guess that's basically it." Midori concluded, smiling.

"So who starts?" The now-awake Uchiha asked as he, too, sat cross-legged on the chair while resting his head on the table.

"Eto..." Midori mumbled before she saw Michiko waving her hand, excited. "Alright, Michiko-san. You go but start out with something basic."

The blue-eyed girl grinned, "Heiki! I already know!"

"So..." Leiko drawled while circling her right hand, "What's the question?"

Michiko smiled with her eyes closed, "What's everyone's favorite color?"

Everyone blinked before Leiko and Shun fell to the floor anime-styled.

"WHAT KIND OF QUESTION WAS THAT?!" The two that fell to the floor shouted as they slammed their hand onto the table.

Michiko sweatdropped and cowered at the two's glare. "I'm sorry?"

Naoko sighed a bit before resting her head on her right palm. "Black, red, and orange."

Everyone blinked at the tomboy as Michiko grinned relieved when the glares left her and turned into wide-eyed stares at Naoko.

"I guess we'll go with that question then," Midori said, smiling, "My favorite colors are red and orange too."

"Purple and blue for me," Leiko answered as she placed an elbow on the table, "And you guys?"

"Oh, um, I like blue and black!" Michiko answered, grinning.

"Black and red." Shun said softly as he sighed a bit.

"Silver and blue here." Kuroi answered last.

'Sugoi… Everyone likes depressing colors?' Midori thought as she sweatdropped, 'and they do _know_ that Black_ isn't_ a color right…?'

There was a short awkward silence before Naoko yawned while Leiko began to think of a question to ask.

"Yoshi! I've got one!" The albino announced after a minute as she punched her right fist into her left palm.

Everyone turned their attention towards the teen before listening to what she had to say.

"What were your test scores for the Genin Exams?" The Kunoichi asked as a smirk formed on her face.

There was another awkward silence before Michiko's eyes widened as she sweatdropped nervously.

Midori, noticing Michiko's surprised look, thought for a moment before speaking up, "Is it alright if we give you the overall grade of the jutsus then the entire overalls?"

"Huh? Yeah, sure." Leiko answered, slouching, "Heiki! I won't judge anyone by their grades. I'm not like that ya know."

Midori smiled at Michiko before answering, "Well for Genjutsu I got a 98, Ninjutsu I got an 87, and for Taijutsu I got an 85. So my overall was a 90."

'Kuso, she's good.' Michiko thought as she scratched the back of her head. 'Then again, that's to be expected since she _did_ create those awesome techniques.'

"I got an 80 for Genjutsu, 95 for Ninjutsu, and an 85 for Taijutsu. The overall was an 87." Leiko answered resting her head on a hand.

'I wonder,' Shun started thinking looking at the three older Genin, 'Which one of them was the top rookie of last year?'

"Hm..." Naoko mumbled as Team 5 began to listen to the abnormally strong Genin.

Midori sweatdropped while smiling, 'They're going to be in for a BIG surprise when they hear this.'

"Overall? I got a 76." Naoko continued from her humming as everyone from Team 5 stared slack-jawed.

"HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET A SEVENTY-SIX WHEN YOU CLEARLY WHUPPED MY ARSE?!?!" Michiko shouted slamming her hands on the table.

The tomboy raised an eyebrow before explaining, "Well... For Taijutsu, I got a 98 but I just barely passed Genjutsu and Ninjutsu with a 65, so... yeah."

Once again, an awkward silence reigned over Team 5 as Team 3 sweatdropped nervously before Naoko coughed and motioned Kuroi to continue.

"Genjutsu: 85, Ninjutsu: 90, Taijutsu: 85, average: 87." The silver eyed Shinobi answered after snapping out of his surprise.

Everyone then turned to Michiko who cowered at their gaze before piping up, rather meekly, "Gen, Nin, Tai, and averages: 70, 87, 80, and... 79..."

Everyone was quiet before Shun began to snicker as the blue-eyed girl turned red and pouted while muttering things under her breath.

"And I bet the 'All-Mighty' Shun-kun had a ninety and above?" Leiko asked sarcastically, disliking how he treated the girl as Naoko sighed and rested her head on her palm again.

Shun narrowed his eyes slightly at the albino before answering rather proudly, "In the order of Gen, Nin, and Tai; 92, 95, and 92. So 93 was my overall."

"I see." Leiko replied in a dead-pan voice shaking her head and summarizing, "So basically for our team; Midori's the best, then me, and the dead last would be Naoko."

"But even then I could beat you with my eyes closed in terms of Taijutsu." Naoko pointed out bluntly as she rested her eyes.

"Why you-?!" The albino was about to tackle the tomboy but Midori held her back from doing so.

Team 5 sweatdropped before Shun spoke up, "And for our team; I'm the best, Kuroi's second, and the dobe's... the dobe."

Michiko gained an anime vein and glared at the Uchiha before sulking again, "Meanie..."

"Ano, Michiko-san, out of curiosity, how did you end up getting such a low grade?" Midori asked softly.

"Eto..." Michiko mumbled as she thought for a moment before remembering.

---

_"Alright minna! Listen up! We'll be holding a practical exam to test your skills on Kawarimi no Jutsu!" Akio-sensei said happily to his students._

_The class gave out an annoyed groan but complied and lined up to be escorted outside._

_No one noticed that a certain girl with dark aquamarine eyes fiddled with her fingers nervously._

_"Aw crud, I'm going to flunk…" Michiko whispered to herself as she followed her classmates and Akio-sensei out the back door and into the large backyard._

_Akio-sensei took a look at his clipboard before calling out, "Michiko-san, please step up for your exam."_

_The young girl gulped and walked to the center of the backyard as Akio-sensei stood several yards away._

_"Are you ready, Michiko-san?" The male asked as he set down his clipboard and took out several shurikens._

_"H-Hai!" Michiko replied as she placed her hands in the seals: Tiger-Boar-Ox-Dog-Serpent, starting with the tiger._

_Akio-sensei flicked his wrist allowing the weapons to fly towards the young girl as she finished the serpent seal._

_Akio-sensei kept his gaze on the girl only to widen his eyes when the jutsu didn't work and as the weapons continued their path._

_Michiko let out a soft gasp before ducking to the ground, letting the shurikens sail past her._

_The male let out a sigh of relief before he gained an anime vein, "Michiko-san..."_

_The blue-eyed girl gulped and sweatdropped nervously, "H-Hai, sensei?"_

_The anime vein seemed to have throbbed before-_

_"YOU FAIL!!!"_

---

Michiko sighed softly with her head down as Midori smiled while feeling somewhat apologetic.

"Don't worry Michiko-san! I'm sure Dante-sensei will help you with your Kawarimi no Jutsu and then you'll ace it in no time," The cat-eyed teen encouraged.

Michiko blinked before grinning and punching the air enthusiastically, "Yoshi! So just you all wait and see! Michiko the next Raikage is gonna whoop all of your arses!"

"Hopefully anyways." The blue-eyed girl added afterwards while keeping her grin on as everyone else chuckled.

As everyone began to calm down, the waiter that took their orders earlier brought over Shun's, Michiko's, and Leiko's lunches.

"Here are your orders! Spam Musubi, Miso Ramen, and a bowl of Plain Udon. The rest of your orders are coming right up."

'Sugoi! It looks delicious!' Midori mentally thought as she stared at the food.

Before she could daydream any longer, her thoughts were cut off as the waiter returned with the rest of the orders.

"Here's the other orders of Second Shrimp Tempura Bento Box Special, Natto Onigiri, and, uh, your Hot and Spicy Ramen with... extra... Habanero."

Naoko gave a low yawn before nodding to the waiter. "Domo..."

The waiter sweatdropped and slowly nodded before leaving the six Genin to their lunches.

"Well then..." Leiko started as she picked up her chopsticks and broke them, "Itadakimasu!"

Everyone else followed her example and said their thanks before beginning to eat. "Itadakimasu!"

But before Team 3 could begin eating, they saw Team 5 suddenly wolf down their lunches as if it were their last.

Naoko blinked several times as Midori and Leiko sweatdropped at the scene in front of them.

"Mataku, slow down before you choke or somethin'," Leiko commented, cocking an eyebrow before the younger team blushed in embarrassment.

Michiko laughed nervously while rubbing the back of her neck, "Well... I didn't exactly eat breakfast this morning."

"And we're trying to regain some energy before we battle Naoko-sempai," Kuroi added in before continuing to eat but at a slower pace.

Shun merely nodded as he continue to bite down his Spam Musubi.

Naoko blinked at the three before shrugging and beginning to eat but stopped when she felt three gazes on her.

Placing her chopsticks down, Naoko gazed boredly at Team 5 before asking, "Nan dai?"

When Kuroi and Shun both returned to their dishes not looking up, Michiko gave a nervous grin before starting, "Well..."

Naoko raised an eyebrow at Michiko as the young girl took a deep breath, "IwaswonderingwhatHabaneroisandwhythewaiterlookedextremelynervouswhenyouorderedit!"

Everyone blinked at the nervous girl before saying simultaneously, "Say what?"

"Try slowing down in your speech Dobe," Shun said with a dead-panned expression.

The blue-eyed girl gained an anime vein and was about to jump the Uchiha but Kuroi managed to, once again, hold her back.

"Spiky's right though," The tomboy mused boredly ignoring Shun as he shouted a 'My name's NOT Spiky!', "Try slowing down when your talking."

Michiko snickered at the nickname before sweatdropping and scratching the side of her face, "Eto... Well..."

Leiko, being the impatient person she is, threw a paper ball at the nervous girl. "Get on with it already!"

Michiko gained an anime vein before she huffed, "I was just wonder what Habanero is, and why the waiter looked so nervous when Naoko-sempai ordered it!"

Team 3 blinked at the question before Leiko asked, "Was that seriously your question?"

Seeing all three of them nod, Leiko suddenly burst out laughing as Midori sighed and Naoko picked up her chopsticks and began to eat her lunch without an expression.

Question marks seemed to have surrounded Team 5 before Shun and Michiko gained an anime vein, "OI! WHAT'S SO FUNNY?!"

Leiko's laughter tuned down to a snicker as Midori began to explain, "Well..."

"Well?" Michiko echoed, annoyed, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Habanero is, perhaps, one of the most spiciest and hottest types of pepper known to man..." The cat-eyed girl continued before trailing off.

Leiko finally stopped snickering as she picked up where her friend had left off, "And if one didn't have enough experience in eating it, then the Habanero may as well kill you!"

Silence overcame Team 5 as Leiko, once again, burst out laughing while Midori sweatdropped and smiled nervously.

With Leiko's laughter and Midori's nervous smile in the background, Team 5 stared at the oblivious tomboy quietly slurping up the world's hottest Ramen made... without any expression!

Kuroi gulped nervously before returning to his Natto Onigiri while thinking bitterly, 'Curse you Michiko! You just _had_ to ask that question! Damn it, now I don't feel so well...'

The duo-color haired boy suddenly got up and dashed off towards the nearest bathroom as Leiko started laughing harder.

'A tiny plant... that can kill... just because it's too spicy... and this person-no... not person- this... _freak_ is eating it like ice cream!!!" Shun thought as his stomach churned sickly.

'The spiciest... the hottest... the most dangerous... the one that can literally _kill_... Chikusho, I just had to open my mouth and ask that didn't I?' The blue-eyed girl paled with each thought.

Midori gave a slightly concerned look towards the direction that the boy ran off as before continuing to gaze at the other two members, 'I wonder how long they can digest it-'

Almost immediately after that thought, the other two members ran off to their respective-gender's bathroom.

'Guess it wasn't that long...' The cat-eyed girl thought before gazing at her laughing teammate, 'Somehow... I feel a bit sadistic right now.'

The albino girl had fallen onto the floor laughing and pounding the floor as tears threatened to fall, "Holy-snicker-goddess-snort-of-chuckle-chocolate! Did-laugh-you-"

Leiko was cut off and started coughing before rubbing her stomach, "Mou, why'd you kick me???"

Midori shrugged before giving an evil grin, "I was feeling somewhat sadistic."

Leiko cried anime tears before pouting and taking her seat again. "But still, you have to admit! It was _hilarious_!"

Midori chuckled softly and glanced over at the now-sleeping tomboy before beginning to eat her lunch as the albino soon followed her actions.

---

After several moments, Team 5 came out of the bathrooms slightly pale but better looking than before.

"Feeling better?" Midori asked as she took off her glove and popped a shrimp tempura into her mouth.

Team 5 nodded and began to eat their semi-warm lunch as Leiko had to bite her tongue in order to not start laughing again.

A few minutes of silence passed before Midori piped up, "You want to continue our game of Modified Twenty Questions?"

The now-semi-healthy Team 5 and Leiko blinked before shrugging and voicing out, "Sure."

Midori placed her napkin down on the table before tapping her chin, "Hm..."

"Oro? Do you have a question, Midori-sempai?" Michiko asked as she looked up at the Kunoichi with her ramen still water-falling from her mouth.

Midori smiled before asking, "Well... Sorry if it's a bit personal but I can't help myself for asking. Can all of you name one of your clan's, probably many, techniques?"

There was a small silence before the cat-eyed girl sweatdropped, "I guess it's a bad and personal question?"

"Nah, it's not a bad question. Not at all. Actually, I'm pretty interested on what your techniques are." Leiko said reassuringly as a small smirk formed.

'Is she trying to gather data on us?' Shun thought as he narrowed his eyes at the albino before taking another bite out of his lunch. "Fine but only one."

Placing her chopsticks down, Leiko grinned before she answered Midori's question.

"Well, you all already know mine, Suiton: Kyu-Suito," The Kunoichi stated as she placed her chin onto her palm, "All I do is mold a bit of chakra, do the handseals, and bang! A water geyser appears and charges at the victim."

Team 5 winced a bit as they remembered their previous battle with the albino before they all thought in unison, 'I hate water…'

Midori sweatdropped at Leiko's enthusiasm before speaking up, "Although I rather not say it but since I did ask the question, I'll let it slip for now. It's called the Hoshikorosu."

Team 5 looked at the cat-eyed girl with confusion before looking at the tomboy expectantly only to sweatdrop when they saw her asleep.

Michiko gave a 'WTF' look before gaining an anime vein and pointing to Naoko, "WHEN THE HECK DID SHE FALL ASLEEP?!?!"

Midori grinned before replying, "Right after she finished her Hot and Spicy Ramen with Extra Habanero."

Team 5 paled a bit before swallowing nervously and giving the two older girls a confused look.

"Bet you're wondering 'How did she fall asleep from something that should wake you up?' right?" The cat-eyed girl said with a smile.

Seeing the younger Genin nod, Leiko spoke up, "It's quite simple, really. For Ko-Baka over here, anything spicy and hot makes her feel sleepy and tired."

'Sleepy and tired, huh?' Team 5 thought before they grinned, 'That means that she'll be easier to fight then-'

"I pity you if you think that," Midori and Leiko said simultaneously before grinning when they saw the younger Genin's shocked expression.

"If you actually think that Naoko's easier to fight when she's sleepy and tired-" Midori started before Leiko finished for her, "-then we really pity you 'cause she's quite the opposite."

Michiko's jaw dropped before she pointed at the two girls with an accusing expression on her face, "I KNEW IT! YOU GUYS ARE PSYCHICS!!!"

Leiko gave an 'evil' chuckle before she was silenced by Midori's punch as the cat-eyed girl sighed, "No we're not, Michiko-san."

"THEN HOW'D YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT WE WERE THINKING?!" The blue-eyed girl shouted before Shun and Kuroi smacked her on the head.

"Urusai, Michiko-Dobe!" Shun hissed as Kuroi sighed and added in, "You're attracting unwanted attention..."

Michiko blinked before sweatdropping when she noticed the other customer's glares.

Giving a nervous laugh, the blue-eyed girl bowed to everyone else. "S-Sumimasen minna-san!"

When the attention disappeared, Michiko sighed out of relief and slid back into her seat slightly flushed. 'That was scary...'

Leiko grinned at the previous scene before saying, "To answer your question, it's simply because we've seen the expression so many times on other people's faces."

Team 5 accepted this answer before Shun asked, "Can you wake Naoko-sempai up, then? I want to know what her clan's technique is..."

Midori smiled a bit and nodded before shaking the tomboy softly by her shoulder.

Naoko let out a soft yawn before opening her left eye and gazing sleepily at everyone, "Nan dai?"

"A-Ano," Kuroi started with a slight stutter before clearing his throat, "I-We were wondering what one of your-"

"Kaze no Yaiba." The tomboy answered before yawning and burying her head back into her crossed arms.

Team 5 gave each other a confused look and was about to ask when Naoko continued, "If you want to know what it is then I'll show it to you during our fight."

Everyone on Team 5 sweatdropped as Leiko rolled her eyes at the tomboy's blunt answer.

Midori merely sighed before turning to the dark-haired boy, "Why don't you go next, Shun-san? I'm sure that you're clan have some powerful techniques."

Shun smirked at Midori's compliment before answering, "Actually I'm not going to bother to answer this question by giving out techniques that people can learn from. But if you must know, one of them is Katon: Housenka no Jutsu."

'He just said a technique that people can learn from…' Michiko thought as she narrowed her eyes slightly. 'Does he know...?"

Her thoughts were cut off when Shun motioned Kuroi to answer, "One of the Raikou clan's techniques is the Raiu and I have to sacrifice a fourth of my chakra to use it."

"Sugoi…" Leiko and Midori whispered in chorus. 'A fourth, huh? The technique must be quite powerful...'

Kuroi chuckled softly at the whisper before taking a bite of his _Natto Onigiri_ making Michiko grimace.

'How the heck can he eat Natto?!' The brown-haired girl thought giving the rice ball a look.

Kuroi looked at Michiko and took out his package of mints and shook them.

Michiko blushed when she saw that he noticed her gaze and took the shaking package as a sign that Kuroi's breath wouldn't smell after lunch was over.

"Well then, what about you Michiko-san?" Leiko asked snapping the girl out of her thoughts.

Michiko blinked before shrugging nonchalantly, "I don't know my surname so I don't know my clan and thus I don't know any techniques."

Midori placed a thinking pose before brightening up, "Daijoubu Michiko-san! You'll find out a technique in no time, and hopefully your surname."

Michiko grinned at Midori's optimism before nodding in agreement, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Midori smiled before placing a sushi roll in her mouth as everyone tried to ignore the fact that a certain albino girl was poking a still-sleeping tomboy.

"Since we're almost done with lunch and all, do you want to go for one last question of the day?" The Kunoichi asked making the albino look up and stop her previous action.

Everyone thought for a moment before giving a 'sure' as they all began to think of a question.

A few silent moments later, Leiko and Midori gave up on thinking and instead had settled for waiting.

---

"I can't think of anything right now…" Michiko whispered as she placed her head on the table before looking over to her teammates.

"I've got nothing." The young Uchiha said, shrugging before taking a sip from his glass of water.

"I think I have one, but... it may be too boring?" Kuroi said thinking that his question would be too dull to ask.

"Hm? Meh, oh well. Go ahead and ask away, we don't have anything anyways." Leiko mused, leaning back into her seat.

"Eto... Well... Do you guys have a middle name?" Asked the duo haired Shinobi, still unsure.

"Eh?! Middle names?!" Michiko exclaimed before question marks began appearing around her.

Shun rolled his eyes before popping one of the questions marks with a kunai making the blue-eyed girl glare at him.

Kuroi sighed and held his female teammate back before sweatdropping when he saw the raised eyebrows of his sempai-tachi, "Too boring eh?"

Midori blinked before shaking her head, "Not boring but it's a rather... odd question."

The albino shrugged before she began to poke Naoko with a random chopstick, "Midori-chan's right since not many people actually _have_ middle names."

Kuroi thought on this before sighing while feeling dejected, "True... I guess."

Michiko, who had stopped trying to jump Shun, blinked before saying, "Neh, neh. Midori-sempai, Leiko-sempai."

The said two looked over at the girl with a confused look before Midori spoke up, "Oro? What is it, Michiko-san?"

The girl gave a lop-sided grin, "Do _you_ have a middle name? And if you do, then can you tell us?"

Midori and Leiko gave each other glances before Michiko added in, "But if you don't, then do you have a nickname? And tell us your nicknames if you do!"

"Well..." Leiko started, "After we answer, _you guys_ better answer as well. Okay? 'Cause if you don't..."

The albino allowed the threat to hang before crackling her knuckles with an evil grin thus making Team 5 gulp nervously.

"Mataku, Leiko-san, don't threaten them." Midori said as she sighed.

"Demo! I was just kidding." Leiko replied, crossing her arms and pouting.

Midori sighed once more before smiling, "Maa… I don't have a middle name but I do have a nickname."

"Oooh! Tell us!" Michiko exclaimed happily as her eyes lit up.

"Well, my nii-chan and hahaoya call me Neko-nee-chan…" Midori said, trailing off at the nickname before adding in, "But some people call me Iwate Enshoku."

Michiko nodded with interest as she waited for Leiko to answer.

"Like Midori-chan, I also don't have a middle name but some people call me Nanami." The albino said, "And yeah I realize I have puns in my name."

Everyone laughed before they turned and waited for Naoko.

"... ZZzZz..."

Everyone twitched annoyed before Leiko gained an anime vein and-

THUMP!

-magically take out a hammer from oblivion to slam on the Naoko's head.

The sleeping tomboy shuffled a bit before rubbing her newly found bump, "... Itai..."

Midori sweatdropped before sighing and pulling Naoko up by the back of her shirt, "Naoko-chan, we're still playing the Modified Twenty Questions so try to stay awake, okay?"

Said girl blinked before yawning and shrugging, "Meh. What's the question?"

Michiko sweatdropped again as her teammates twitched in annoyance, "There are two: firstly, do you have a middle name? If so, tell us."

Naoko blinked again before stifling a yawn, "I-Iy-ya! -yawn- -sweatdrop- Oops."

Shun gained an anime vein but said nothing as Michiko asked the second question, "Secondly, do you have a nickname? And tell us if you do."

The tomboy tapped her chin in a thoughtful manner before rubbing the back of her head and snuggling into her crossed arms, "You already know it."

"..." Everyone blinked in confusion before sweatdropping when Leiko started laughing.

"Oro? What did she mean, Leiko-sempai?" Michiko asked while tilting her head to the side.

"She didn't answer the question unless she meant that the 'you already know' is her nickname..." Kuroi mumbled, "But I don't think it is."

The albino started laughing harder as Midori blinked and thought on Naoko's word before her, too, started laughing.

"Eh? Nani? Sampai-tachi?" The blue-eyed girl asked as questions marks started to float around her and Kuroi.

Shun, who had stayed quiet, gained several new anime veins before-

"JUST TELL US ALREADY!!!"

The laughing girls abruptly quieted and blinked before gazing at the flushed face of the Uchiha.

Silence reigned over the group before everyone noticed that, once again, the customers were staring.

Suddenly, a large shadow of a man fell over the Genin, making them look up and gulp nervously.

Midori sweatdropped and smiled nervously, "A-Ano..."

The shadow seemed to have an anime vein before-

"GET OUT!!!"

With that, the group was thrown out of Café Kaminari with a simple kick and landed in a pile.

---

Mou, you just _had_ to yell, didn't you Uchiha-teme!" An annoyed blue-eyed girl growled before huffing.

"Urusei! It's not my fault that _they_ wouldn't give us a straight answer!" The spiky haired boy retorted while motioning his hand towards Team 3.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to explode on everyone!" Michiko spat back with an anime vein before she cried anime tears, "Now I can't go back to that yummy place..."

A depressed dark cloud appeared around the young girl as the Uchiha huffed and walked faster as to get away from her.

Kuroi sweatdropped at his team before gazing towards the older girls walking in front of them only to have his sweatdrops multiply.

The albino girl was dragging the _still-sleeping_ tomboy by the back of her shirt as Midori was trying to wake her up.

Rubbing his right temple, Kuroi grumbled to himself, "I'm stuck with a messed up team and a psycho older team to train with, how fun can this get…"

Midori sighed softly as she and Leiko straightened up.

"Well, it looks like we can't eat here for a couple of days." Midori said, turning her gaze towards Kuroi then at Michiko and Shun who had stopped arguing and were faced back to back, not daring to speak to one another.

The duo haired boy just nodded and fell silent.

Leiko fell silent too as she lifted the still sleeping tomboy onto her shoulders.

"Daijoubu. Things like these happen all the time with us. There's always a small feud but we straighten ourselves up and forgive each other." The cat eyed girl said, "And with Shun-kun and Michiko-san, they'll forgive each other, even if it doesn't seem like it."

Kuroi quickly digested Midori's words and nodded, "I guess you're right."

Midori smiled and crossed her arms, "C'mon let's head back to the training grounds."

---

"Konnichiwa minna! How was your lunch?" The jet-black haired Jounin asked smiling to the two teams.

He and Leneth were sparing during the lunch break and from the sun and the extreme two hour training, Dante was drenched in sweat.

"It was fine Dante-sensei, 'cept we got kicked out," Leiko stated, as she dropped Naoko in front of a shady oak tree, "Oi! Ko-baka! Wake up already! Your battle's next!"

"So _that's_ her nickname!" Michiko exclaimed as she rubbed her chin with a thoughtful expression.

Shun replied with a grunt as he crossed his arms.

"Really?" Dante asked, wondering how the Genin got kicked out.

"I hope you didn't cause too much of a ruckus." Leneth finished for her brother as she jumped off a tree and softly landed a couple of feet away from Dante.

"It's nothing big, Sensei," Midori said, "The owner will let us back in a couple of days. He's not the type of guy to hold grudges."

"That's true, I suppose…" Leneth mused before looking over to her student leaning against the tree and sighing, "Did Naoko eat Habaneros again?"

"Yep, she should wake up in a few seconds though." Midori said.

---

After a few seconds later, as Midori said, the tomboy's eyes started to flutter open.

"-Yawn- Hunh? My battle already?" Naoko asked with a tired look on her face, raising her knee and sitting up straight.

"Hai, your battle's up, head over to the training grounds Naoko," Leneth said softly.

The tomboy rubbed her eyes as she slowly got up and calmly walked over the other side of the training ground.

"You guys ready?" Dante asked, "I'm sure we're still not pooped out are we?"

Michiko and Shun gave Dante a confident smirk while Kuroi nodded.

"Heh. We're definitely ready to take on Naoko-sempai now," Michiko said as her smirk turned into a grin.

"Alright! Then make your way to the opposite side of the training ground and wait for our signal." Leneth said in a serene voice.

"Neh, neh. Do you really think she'll use Kaze no Yaiba?" Leiko asked, "And her freakishly abnormal super human strength?"

Midori sweatdropped as she almost forgot about Naoko's 'freakishly abnormal super human strength'.

Leneth, Leiko, and herself had once found Naoko during training and saw her knock down a few acres of trees by using a full blown Tokken.

"I really hope not. But still… even in training, Naoko can get carried away at some points, but I'm sure she wouldn't really do much damage to Mi-Shu-Ku," Midori answered before watching the four Genin.

"Begin!" Dante exclaimed as he readied a clipboard and a pen.

---

Shun, Michiko, and Kuroi quickly huddled up once more, while Kuroi kept a close eye on Naoko, who was slouching and yawning occasionally.

"Okay, we know that lazy Naoko-sempai uses wind elemental jutsus and that she's good in Taijutsu as we all saw from the battle yesterday," The young Uchiha said, "So Kuroi-san can use some of his electrical shurikens while I'll try to keep her busy by using Taijutsu also."

Michiko frowned and opened her mouth, "Oi, Uchiha-teme! Wha-"

"You, Dobe, will try to scatter some weapons on the grounds while trying to avoid contact with Naoko-sempai, and then try to connect your chakra strings with them and then attack her from there." Shun finished for Michiko.

Michiko sighed an anime mushroom before nodding and listening to the rest of the plan.

"When Naoko-sempai turns her attention towards either of you guys to attack, I'll jump in and use my jutsus and shurikens," Shun concluded, "Oh yeah, one more thing, use the Kawarimi no Jutsu. After all, you wouldn't want to get a huge bloody bruise anyways."

Michiko audibly gulped without the exception of Kuroi before both nodded and began commencing their third plan.

---

'Mataku, how long will they leave me standing here?' Naoko thought as she gazed at one of the clouds that caught her eye.

But before the tomboy could gaze at the cloud any longer, Shun quickly ran towards Naoko with full speed before using a low spin kick.

Naoko calmly but quickly dodged it and slid back a couple of feet away.

Shun immediately stood up and threw a long hard punch at Naoko.

The tomboy took note of this and simply took hold of Shun's fist before turning and swinging her leg at the back of Shun's knee making him fall.

Before the Uchiha lost balance, he placed his left hand onto the ground and lifted himself up again before delivering a swift upwards kick at Naoko with his left leg.

The honey-eyed tomboy quickly changed stances and took hold of Shun's leg before literally lifted him off of the ground and threw him a couple of yards away.

Kuroi, who had made his way behind Naoko, took hold of some shurikens and conducted electricity before silently throwing them at Naoko.

Shun softly landed a few meters away from Naoko and prepared to throw out his own shurikens as well.

As the electrified shurikens spiraled towards Naoko, the tomboy placed a gloved hand over the wrapped weapon on her back and swung it open.

The red cloth flew off before a gust of wind kicked in and blew the shurikens back at Kuroi.

Kuroi jumped into the air as to dodge the rebounding weapons before throwing more electric-shurikens at the tomboy.

Naoko closed her giant fan as she jumped out of the way and into the sky before a flash of light caught her eyes.

Twirling her body right and upside-down, Naoko tightened her hold on the fan and flicked it open once more, blocking Shun's shurikens before landing on the ground.

Naoko narrowed her eyes when she saw that clones of her younger opponents had surrounded her before all of them charged at her.

The tomboy closed her weapon before throwing it into the air as the clones closed in before she kneed the closest clone, a 'Kuroi' clone, in the stomach causing it to 'poof'.

Using a combination of weak Houshou and Asshou, many more clones quickly 'poofed' out of existence before Naoko caught her falling fan just as shurikens and kunais began to rain.

'Damn, she's fast…' Michiko thought after she saw her clones along with Shun's and Kuroi's clones 'poof' away within a matter of minutes.

Naoko was now focusing on Shun and Kuroi with her back facing Michiko.

The young blue-eyed girl silently connected the newly fallen weapons to her chakra strings and swiftly ejected them up into the air before hastily crossing her arms put in front, forcing the dozens of weapons to nose dive down directly at Naoko.

The tomboy, looking directly into Shun, saw his eyes dart up before returning to his previous gaze as a small smirk danced across his lips.

Naoko ever-so-slightly narrowed her eyes as she felt a change in the wind from behind before realizing the plan.

Lifting up her fan horizontally in front of her, the tomboy flicked it open so that the weapon covered part of her torso and upper legs before whispering, "Taifuunome."

With a starting spin, Naoko began to rouse a small tornado around herself before the twister started to rotate fiercely forcing all of the weapons to be pulled into the cyclone.

The near-invisible chakra strings snapped as the connected weapons swirled dangerously in the miniture typhoon before the rotation slowed for a split second.

Suddenly, the spinning weapons shot out of the slowing cyclone forcing Team 5 to use Kawarimi to dodge before the various tools embedded themselves into the ground.

After the few seconds of showering weapons, Naoko stopped spinning and closed her fan before surveying the arena for her concealed adversaries.

'She almost got me there.' The tomboy thought to herself as she let out a small sigh and closed her eyes.

However, Naoko quickly snapped open her eyes just as more electrified shurikens were thrown from her left and rapidly spinning towards her.

Bending backwards, Naoko managed to dodge the electricity-enforced weapons thus making the shurikens fly pass and miss the tomboy.

When the shurikens passed Naoko, the tomboy was about to stand straight when the electric-shurikens were flung back towards her.

Naoko frowned and stabbed her weapon into the ground before she did a back flip over the giant fan, dodging the weapons, and landed on the grass softly.

"Shoot! We can't do anything to her!" Michiko exclaimed before quickly formulating a plan, 'Teme and Kuroi better keep her busy for a while.'

With that being thought, Shun and Kuroi tag teamed and began to attack Naoko head on.

By taking out their second to last weapons, Kuroi electrified his shurikens while Shun prepared his fire lit ones.

Naoko, who was patiently waiting for the younger Genin to attack, picked up and steadied her fan.

When Kuroi's shurikens were thrown, Naoko swiftly opened her fan to blow away the weapons.

When the tomboy did so, Shun swiftly made the Snake, Dragon, Rabbit, and Tiger signs, inhaled and blew out an extreme stream of flames at Naoko, whilst igniting the grass wrapped-shurikens before throwing them at the Kunoichi.

Naoko quickly twirled around as she prepared another Taifuunome, forcing the winds to pick up around her.

The burst of fire and specially-enforced weapons sent towards the tomboy were quickly incorporated into the defensive technique.

Feeling the temperature around her begin to increase quickly, Naoko began to force out more of her chakra and pushed the cyclone to be about ten feet in radius.

Outside the fire twister, Team 5 nodded to each other as Shun and Kuroi stood adjacent to the other with their arms parallel to the ground as chakra began to gather around.

Michiko, who was several meters away, concentrated chakra to her feet before sprinting forward and jumping up onto her teammates arms while thinking, 'This better work!'

The Uchiha-Raikou pair forced the chakra to expel from their arms just as the clan-less girl expelled the chakra gathering from her feet forcing Michiko to catapult into the air near but not quite over the eye of the tornado.

Strings of chakra attached themselves from Michiko's fingers to the scattered weapons before the girl brought her arms up as the weapons rose into the air.

Narrowing her eyes, Michiko growled lightly before she brought down her arms, "It's over! Ningyoushibai no Koutetsu!"

Naoko's eyes widen as she saw a storm of weapons begin to rain down on her before she smirked as excitement shone in her eyes, "Don't underestimate me, kouhai-tachi."

Michiko furrowed her eyebrows in confusion after she had landed on the arena ground from her free-fall, "Nani?"

The typhoon of fire's shape soon began to distort everyone heard the tomboy's voice, "Tsubasa no Ichimon Gijutsu: Kaze no Sekisho!"

The cyclone seemed to have exploded as flames flickered in the air before dimming away.

Wind swirled dangerously around the tomboy in each and every direction as she stood on a circular patch of thriving land in the center of the scorched field.

Naoko was breathing a bit heavily before she slammed her fan onto the ground and shouted, "Kai!"

The gales of wind slowly disappeared before she gave a faint smirk at the shocked expression of disbelief on the faces of the Genin of Team 5.

"M-Masaka!" Michiko whispered as she collapsed onto the floor as her teammates gritted their teeth.

The young girl growled a bit before she shook her head and crossed her arms, "Nope, no way, nuh uh, no can do."

Shun and Kuroi gave the female a look of confusion as Michiko began rising to her feet again before glaring at the tomboy, "Don't get cocky! I'm not giving in yet!"

The males of Team 5 quirked an eyebrow before smiling slightly and getting into position again.

Naoko rested her gaze on them for a moment before asking, "Oi! You guys wanted to know my clan technique, Kaze no Yaiba, correct?"

Team 5 blinked and nodded slowly before her question sunk in and their eyes widen as they commented simultaneously, "Kuso."

Picking up her fan, Naoko smirked and flicked it open before whispering, "Tsubasa no Ichimon Gijutsu: Kaze no Yaiba!"

With the sharp edge of the weapon pointed at the younger Genin, Naoko swung it diagonally as if slicing the air just as wind blew angrily.

Team 5 looked around before Shun cried out in pain making his teammates gape in shock as they saw the crimson blood drip down from a large wound on his chest.

Before they could respond or defend themselves, more cuts and wounds began to appear on the younger team.

Screaming, Team 5 dropped to their knees as the ferocious wind tore at their bodies before quickly and abruptly the attack ended.

The one-year younger ninjas looked up shakily as they tried to steady their breaths to see Naoko covering up her fan again.

Team 5 blinked in confusion at the sudden halt before they saw Dante's smiling face, "Congrats!"

"What -pant- the –heave- hell?" Michiko whispered harshly before standing up before a shadow fell over her.

"Geez, did you really think that we would let Naoko use the Kaze no Yaiba to kill you?" Leneth asked raising an eyebrow.

Michiko placed a hand on her newly formed cut before gulping audibly, "Well..."

Leiko gained a deadpanned expression before an anime vein throbbed on her left temple, "Why you-!"

Leneth, who was listening, smiled lightly before walking over to the Genin with a medical bag, "Maa, maa. Forget about it for now and let me tend to your wounds."

Shun and Kuroi sighed in relief, silently thanking Leneth for both tending their wounds and stopping a future argument.

"Just so you know," Naoko mumbled while walking to the sidelines, "I held back the technique's true potential."

The three Genin sweatdropped before Shun and Kuroi widen their eyes at their wounds, finally noticing how shallow the cuts were.

Turning their attention to Team 3's sensei, the two boys gave her a confused look as if to ask how devastating the attack could be.

Leneth noticed their looks before smiling mysteriously, "Hi-mi-tsu."

Shun and Kuroi both sighed while sweatdropping as Michiko gave them a strange look while thinking, 'I wonder what got them down...'

Before the blue-eyed girl could ponder on that thought, the cheerful voice of her sensei was heard.

"You guys did excellent on the matches!" Dante praised while flipping his clipboard to the first page and scanning through the notes.

Leneth, who had finished placing ointment onto Shun's and Kuroi's cuts, was now wrapping bandages around the injuries.

"But anyways, it's back to business now…" His voice trailed off before his face grew stern.

"As I had said before, this is only training. But it's not just any training; this was actually the final test to see if you were all capable of actually being Genin."

"NANI?!" The three Genin chorused loudly, as Leneth covered her ears and winced at the loud volume.

Dante sweatdropped before he let out a nervous chuckle and scratched the side of his face, "Kind of hard to get, huh?"

"B-b-but we just graduated!!! Why the hell did we have to be tested _again_?!" Michiko exclaimed, more annoyed than angrily though.

Kuroi twitched and pulled the girl down as he motioned Dante to continue before inching away from the pissed Uchiha whose chakra seemed to have flared angrily.

Dante waved his hands in front of him in defense, "W-Well, even if you did pass the Academy Exams. You wouldn't understand how outside battles may have been so-"

"SO YOU JUST DECIDED TO GIVE US THIS 'TRAINING' AND GETTING OUR HOPES UP ABOUT BEING A REAL NINJA?!" Michiko shouted jumping onto her feet again.

Dante sweatdropped before giving a cheeky but nervous grin, "Um... Yeah?"

An anime vein appeared on Michiko again as she pointed a finger at the male angrily, "K-Kono... THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF WE FAILED?!"

Dante blinked before putting on a thinking pose, "Well... Since this exam is to test how well your teamwork is as well as how skilled you are. If you were to fail..."

Team 5 leaned in to hear what Dante had to say as he trailed off before smiling brightly.

"Then, most likely, you would be sent back to the academy!"

"..." Silence reined the arena before- THUD!- all three Genin fell to the floor anime-styled.

Dante laughed while rubbing the back of his neck before sweatdropping a waterfall when he felt three pissed off aura, "A-Ano... N-Nan dai-i?"

"Sensei..." The three younger Genin started while cracking their knuckles as a dark shadow formed around them, "... you... IDIOT!!!"

The older male let out a squeak of fear before fleeing as Team 5 began to chase after him with anime veins throbbing and kicking up dust as they fled from the arena.

Meanwhile, back at the training grounds, Leneth was pouring tea into four cups as she and her students sat on a large blanket under the shades of a large tree.

Midori blinked at the dust that was beginning to settle, "Think they'll be alright?"

Leiko shrugged before picking up her tea, after thanking her teacher, and beginning to sip at it, "Don't know. The munchkins probably will be but Dante-sensei probably won't."

Naoko sipped quietly at her steaming tea before commenting, "Cat and Mouse... Or rather, three little kittens and a large rabid rat."

Leneth rolled her eyes and shook her head at the tomboy's strange way of seeing things as the other two snickered.

Team 3 soon settled into a peaceful silence while drinking tea before Naoko made a random comment,

"Want to bet if they will maim, mangle, torture, or kill him when they catch up?"

* * *

****

**A/N: **

**Naoko: **Gomen nasai! We took a really long time to type and get this up. -bows- Hope you can forgive us. Although... we still haven't exactly gotten a lot of reviews... Oh well, review for this one then?

**Miharu:** Saa, I hope you like this 11,000+ word chapter :) And yeah it took us a long time to write and all that, but we hope you forgive us about that _and_ the Hoshikorosu chapter. So now stay tuned for our next chapter, and we'll see you then!

-Naoko-Miharu (:

* * *

**Definitions:**

_Suiton: Kyu-Suito _translated is **Water Release: Water Tower**.

**Spam musubi **is a very popular snack or luncheon food in Hawaii made in the tradition of Japanese onigiri or omusubi. A slice of Spam is placed onto a block of rice and a piece of nori (dried seaweed) wrapped around the Spam-rice combination to hold it together. - _Wikipedia._

**Nattō** is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, popular especially at breakfast. A rich source of protein, nattō and the soybean paste miso formed a vital source of nutrition in feudal Japan. For some, Nattō can be an acquired taste due to its powerful smell, strong flavor, and sticky consistency._ - Wikipedia.

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What do you think about the story so far? Like it or dislike it? Tell us your opinions or give us some nice constructive criticism! We'll give you some nice virtual pocky, ramen, and muffins if you do :D


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